NESTLE have responded to criticism in last week's letters page, sparked by High Peak MP Tom Levitt's column praising the Swiss firm's development work in the Third World.
"Nestlé firmly believes that breastfeeding is the best way to feed a baby, and is strongly committed to the protection and promotion of breastfeeding," the firm said in a statement.
"However, when mothers cannot or choose not to breastfeed, infant
formula is the only product recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a suitable alternative.
"Nestlé was the first company to voluntarily adopt the WHO Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (the WHO Code) as a minimum standard in all developing countries.
"Mike Brady, of Baby Milk Action, claims that the IBFAN report, 'Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules', published in Nov 2007, demonstrates that Nestlé does not abide by international marketing regulations. Nestlé is rigorously checking all the allegations in this report.
"However, it is important to point out that our analysis of IBFAN's previous report in 2004 found that of the 200 allegations it contained only one was an actual violation and this had been corrected by Nestlé in 2002, two years before the report was published.
"Mike Brady also refers to what he describes as "prohibited" NAN advertising in South Africa. This allegation is incorrect and the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa has, in fact, already ruled that this advertising did not contravene any advertising restrictions.
"Mr Brady's final allegation that the health claims on the Nan labels are non-compliant is also incorrect as the health claims fully comply with the South African regulations that apply to this product."
