Why You Should Boycott Nestlé
TL;DR
Nestlé’s unethical practices—like aggressive formula marketing in developing nations, water theft, and child labor—exploit mothers, children, and the planet. Their actions harm vulnerable communities, leaving them without access to clean water, healthcare, or fair labor practices.
By boycotting Nestlé, we can hold them accountable and demand better. Join Moms Against the Machine to take small but powerful steps toward change.
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Nestlé has been making profits off the backs of mothers for decades, and when you learn the details. you might regret every dollar you’ve ever given them. Nestlé has been involved in some of the most unethical practices you can imagine. If you’re a mom, or if you just care about the well-being of mothers and children everywhere, you NEED to know how disgusting they are. It’s not pretty.
Before we begin, I’d like to point out that the CEO of Nestlé's total compensation, including base salary, short-term and long-term bonuses, pension contributions, and other benefits, was 72 million.
The Baby Formula Scam
Formula companies like Nestlé have long been criticized for their aggressive marketing strategies, particularly in targeting low-income mothers in developing countries. Through misleading and manipulative tactics, they promote infant formula as the "best" way to feed babies, often exploiting language barriers and economic vulnerabilities. These campaigns aim to discourage breastfeeding, pushing formula as a superior alternative, despite evidence to the contrary.
One common tactic involves distributing free formula samples in hospitals, encouraging mothers to use them "just in case" or as a supplement to breastmilk. However, breastfeeding operates on a supply-and-demand basis—skipping nursing sessions to use formula can reduce milk production. By the time the free samples run out, many mothers find their milk supply has significantly decreased, leaving them with little choice but to purchase formula they may not be able to afford. This predatory practice has drawn widespread criticism and was a key factor in the creation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). The BFHI works to protect and promote breastfeeding by ensuring hospitals provide lactation support, limit formula marketing, and avoid distributing free samples that can undermine breastfeeding success.
While infant formula is a necessary or preferred option for some families—due to medical conditions, low milk supply, personal choice, or other valid reasons—it is not without risks, especially in resource-limited settings. In areas with consistent access to clean water, proper storage, and healthcare support, formula feeding can be a safe and healthy choice. However, in developing nations, where these resources are often scarce, formula feeding can pose serious health risks. Lack of clean water for mixing, over-dilution due to high costs, and the absence of breastfeeding’s natural immune protections can have life-threatening consequences for infants.
This isn’t about debating "breast is best"—it’s about the dangers of formula feeding in places without clean water, nutrition, education, or healthcare. In these areas, breastfeeding is often critical for infant survival.
But wait, before saying something like, “The governments in these regions should take care of their people better," consider the broader context: many developing nations face exploitation, resource theft, and political destabilization—often fueled by foreign powers like the U.S. through actions such as American-backed coups.
(If you’re like me and go down all the rabbit holes, check out Johnny Harris’s video: American-Backed Coups. It breaks down how these interventions have contributed to systemic challenges in developing nations.)
But for today’s purposes, let’s get into how formula feeding in the Global South (countries that are often less developed and are located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania) can be dangerous:
1. Lack of Access to Clean Water
Formula must be mixed with clean, safe water, but in many regions, access to clean water is unreliable or nonexistent. Contaminated water can introduce harmful bacteria and parasites, leading to deadly illnesses like diarrhea, which is a leading cause of infant mortality.
2. Cost Barriers Lead to Dangerous Dilution
Formula is expensive, and many families in developing countries cannot afford to buy enough. To stretch their supply, they often dilute formula with extra water, reducing its nutritional value. This can lead to malnutrition, weakened immune systems, and stunted growth.
3. Loss of Breastfeeding Benefits
Breast milk provides antibodies and essential nutrients that formula cannot fully replicate. It protects against infections, supports brain development, and promotes bonding between mother and child. Formula-fed babies in lower-income settings are at a much higher risk of infections, malnutrition, and even death compared to breastfed infants.
4. Storage and Preparation Challenges
Formula requires proper storage and preparation, including sterilized bottles and consistent refrigeration—resources that many families in developing nations simply do not have. Without these, formula feeding can become a serious health hazard.
5. Economic Dependence on Formula
Once mothers stop breastfeeding, it is difficult to restart milk production (relactation). Families become dependent on formula, and then they’re forced to prioritize formula purchases over other important needs like food, healthcare, or education.
Because of these risks, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF strongly advocate for breastfeeding whenever possible, especially in low-resource settings. While formula has a role in infant nutrition when breastfeeding isn’t possible, it should never be promoted as a superior or necessary alternative in places where its use can mean the difference between life and death.
The Water Steal
Nestlé bottles and sells water from regions where water is already scarce, particularly in developing nations. They treat clean water as a commodity and exploit natural resources for profit as they leave local communities with limited access to safe drinking water. The company has faced accusations of draining aquifers and polluting water supplies, prioritizing quick profits over environmental sustainability and the well-being of the people who depend on these resources.
This isn’t just about corporate greed—it’s about fundamental human rights, and Nestlé’s actions show a blatant disregard for both. Despite criticism, they’ve continued their sh*tty practices, leaving the environment and the folks who live there, including mothers in water-scarce areas, to bear the consequences.
Child Labor in Cocoa Production
But that’s not all—Nestlé’s cocoa supply chain has also been tied to child labor. Investigations have revealed that children as young as 10 are forced to work in dangerous conditions, often unpaid, to harvest cocoa beans. Despite years of exposure and promises to address the issue, Nestlé has failed to implement meaningful solutions. Child exploitation for cheap labor continues, and the company has yet to take full accountability for its role in perpetuating these abuses.
Human Rights Violations
Nestlé has been embroiled in numerous human rights violations around the globe. From exploiting workers to pushing toxic products onto vulnerable populations, they’ve built their empire on the backs of moms and children, and it will only stop if we stopped supporting them. They’ve been caught in scandals from forced labor to unsustainable business practices, all while pretending they care about sustainability and social responsibility.
In a world where we already struggle with the patriarchy and capitalism trying to pull us in a million directions, Nestlé represents everything that’s wrong with a system that profits off our pain. And moms, we need to draw the line here. We deserve better than this, and our kids deserve better than this.
So, What Can You Do?
Don’t buy their products. When you purchase from Nestlé, you’re fueling the cycle of harm they perpetuate. Boycotts work. History has shown that when consumers unite and refuse to support unethical practices, companies are forced to listen and change. By choosing not to feed their profits, we can force change. But more of us have to participate. because together, we can hold them accountable and demand better—for people, for the planet, and for future generations.
You can also speak out—talk to other moms, friends, and family. Share the truth about Nestlé’s shady practices. Some folks will be annoyed, sure, but there is always someone who you will reach. Use your voice.
I get it, it’s exhausting to keep track of all the ways corporations are putting profits over people. But Nestlé is one of the biggest offenders, and as moms, it’s our job to protect the next generation and make sure they have a world worth living in. We’re more than consumers in a capitalist system consumers; we’re powerful, and we can force change.
Learn More…
Baby Milk Action Baby Milk Action is an essential resource for moms who want to dive deeper into the Nestlé boycott, advocate for breastfeeding, and challenge harmful corporate practices.
Ekō is a global movement of consumers, investors, and workers who hold corporations like Nestlé accountable for their actions. They run campaigns against companies that exploit workers, harm the environment, or engage in unethical practices. They are actively fighting for change and work with grassroots organizations to support boycotts like the one against Nestlé.
The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)
IBFAN works to protect and promote breastfeeding worldwide and fights against aggressive marketing by formula companies like Nestlé. They have been a key player in advocating for the rights of mothers and children in the face of harmful corporate practices, including Nestlé's role in promoting infant formula in developing countries.
Corporate Accountability
Corporate Accountability focuses on holding powerful corporations accountable for unethical practices, especially those that harm public health, the environment, or workers. They’ve been at the forefront of campaigns targeting Nestlé for its exploitative practices, including its aggressive marketing of formula in developing countries. They work to expose corporate greed and mobilize consumers to take action.
The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle Palmer is a deep dive into how cultural, economic, and corporate forces have shaped breastfeeding practices worldwide. It exposes the influence of formula marketing, the exploitation of vulnerable communities, and the systemic barriers that undermine breastfeeding, while advocating for the protection of this vital practice as a matter of public health and social justice. I read this one back when my baby was still a baby, and it completely shifted my worldview.
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Ethical Consumer
Ethical Consumer is an app that helps users make ethical purchasing decisions by providing company ratings based on their impact on workers, the environment, and animals. It's a great resource for moms who want to ensure their shopping habits align with their values, particularly when it comes to avoiding companies with unethical practices like Nestlé.
