Almost all baby foods are harmful. This was reported by the German association Foodwatch, which analyzed the composition of 283 products advertised as being aimed at children.
Despite the promises the products, 16 Big Food giants-from Nestlé to Ferrero-have been attacking the health of young children for years, luring them with products with excessive amounts of fat, sugar, and salt. At levels that are unsuitable for toddlers, according to WHO parameters.
Harmful baby foods, the research
Foodwatch’s research replicates work conducted in 2015, when harmful baby foods were 89.1 percent. After 5 years, the result remains worrisome. Only 41 of the 283 products evaluated (14.5 percent) complied with WHO claims.
The 16 brands monitored today had joined EU Pledge, the European initiative for responsible marketing to children, in 2007 to support parental decision-making power in choosing their children’s diets. A commitment almost never fulfilled, as evidenced by the tam-tam advertising aimed at children.
Only junk food for 10 out of 16 companies
Two-thirds of the giants under investigation sell exclusively junk food. 100% of their baby products are harmful. These are.
– Ferrero, 23 products,
– PepsiCo, 18 products,
– Coca-Cola, 13 products,
– Intersnack, 13 products,
– Mars, 13 products,
– Unilever, 13 products,
– Bel Group, 9 products,
– Mondelez, 9 products,
– Lorenz Snack World, 7 products,
– Lindt, 1 product.
Broken promises
In addition to sparing children from advertisements that turn them into junk food consumers, Big Food had also promised to improve the nutritional profile of snacks and other foods aimed at minors.
Nutrition tables in hand, Foodwatch shows that few have kept their promise. The surveys record a small advance of
– Danone, 38 improved products,
– McDonalds, 6,
– Kellog’s, 4,
– Burger King, 2.
Profit first
One in 5 deaths is mainly due to an unhealthy diet, recalls Foodwatch, which is calling for a stop to the advertising of unhealthy foods for children.
A pipe dream, considering that junk food is among the highest margin productions for the producer. Profit first.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
