Nestlé has been involved in several food scandals over the years, raising questions about its business and food safety practices, the impact of its products on consumer health, and its total lack of transparency.
In the 70s and 80s it was the infant milk affair, which earned Nestlé fierce criticism for its aggressive promotion of powdered baby milk in developing countries, leading to a decline in breastfeeding and linked to increased infant mortality rates due to the contaminated water used to dilute the powdered milk.
In 2021, the existence of an internal Nestlé report revealed by the Financial Times shook up the food industry. This document assessing the nutritional quality of its products admitted that 60% of them failed to meet health standards according to criteria defined by the company itself.
In 2022, the Buitoni scandal in France cast a shadow over the food group. The Nestlé-owned brand has been linked to two deaths and several cases of serious after-effects in consumers due to contamination by E. coli bacteria.
In 2024 Nestlé admits to using unauthorized depollution processes for the Henniez brand. A scandal that adds to the fundamental question of more equitable, fair and sustainable management of this precious resource.
