r/Anticonsumption • u/IrinaOzzy • 23d ago

Corporations Add Nestle to the boycott for lobbying against parental leave to keep baby formula sales up

So apparently baby formula companies like Nestle spend heavy $$$ in lobbying governments to not give paid maternal leave to women due to impacts on baby formula sales. This is the most evil shit I've heard in my life. Will never see Nestle the same again.

Sources: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014067362201933X

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00118-6/fulltext00118-6/fulltext)

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u/IrinaOzzy 23d ago

I knew Nestle is shit, but this one in particular struck a cord that I cannot contain. I know many people, especially women, who are not having kids due to corporate greed and modern corporate slaving. Unpaid maternal leave sounds horrible enough. Having a corporation intentionally enforce it. This is REVOLUTION material.

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u/SpiritualDot6571 23d ago edited 23d ago

I think the point was that Nestle intentionally enforces a lot of horrible things and isn’t a company people should support even if they didn’t do this. Everything about them is shitty top to bottom.

Also, they own about 2,000 companies just so you’re aware in your “not supporting them anymore”. https://wyomingllcattorney.com/Blog/Everything-Owned-by-Nestle

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u/strawberrybutts3 23d ago

oof i thought i was doing pretty good on not buying anything from them til i got to the pet section 

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u/childish_cat_lady 23d ago

Purina Pro Plan 😭 Looks like they don't own Science Diet or Royal Canin so I guess we could think about switching but damn I'm tired, y'all.

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u/a-flying-trout 23d ago

I mean, those brands are still owned by another global mega-corporation that owns a large (and growing) amount of our food supply.

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u/new2bay 23d ago

Yep. Pro Plan is what got me, too.

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u/illcryifiwan2 23d ago

Try Costco's dog food!

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u/AromaticSleep4612 22d ago

I did this for my dog and she actually likes it better!

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u/New-Negotiation7234 22d ago

I price checked all the dog food and Costco is the cheapest for the quality.

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u/SpiritualDot6571 23d ago

It’s literally everything 😵‍💫😵‍💫

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u/NoListen4492 23d ago

I used to work with an organic pet store, feel free to message me about any questions. I love helping people help their pets!

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u/artabetesj 23d ago

Do you have any suggestions for an alternative to Purina one plus sensitive skin and stomach for cats?

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u/NoListen4492 13d ago

Yes, there are several good companies! It is hard with so many options, but a lot of the 'big brands' are cheaper because they are using cheaper ingredients. I tend to compare them to McDonalds. A lot of people like it, but it certainly isn't helping your health. Unfortunately not many people know what is good and bad, and most pet food companies aren't required to tell the consumer they are having recalls/mergers, the pet stores are notified of which batches need to be pulled and go from there.

It could be an allergy if you are noticing skin issues. Definitely stick to grain-free and limited ingredient formulas. A lot of the expensive prescription diets are actually terrible for pets, and vets in general do not get enough nutritional training. This is a good article I have referenced over the years. https://catinfo.org/#Prescription/Therapeutic_Diets

A couple easily accessible options that have had great success with many cats is the Natural Balance L.I.D. Green Pea and Venison, Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D. Duck and Potato Recipe, Instinct L.I.D. Grain-Free Rabbit Recipe Canned Food. I also really like anything Tiki Cat: Tiki Cat Solutions Skin & Coat Salmon & Herring Grain-Free Dry Cat Food, and Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Grain-Free Salmon Recipe Dry Cat Food is a wonderful brand if you can find them.

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u/Feisty_Armadillo2046 22d ago

My cats like iams! And they are both picky! I believe they make a sensitive stomach one.

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u/shakespearean-O 22d ago

unfortunately iams is owned by Mars... not much better

In 2021, Mars was named in a class action lawsuit filed by eight former child slaves from Mali who alleged that the company aided and abetted their enslavement on cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast. The suit accused Mars (along with Nestlé, Cargill, Barry Callebaut, Olam International, the Hershey Company, and Mondelez International) of knowingly engaging in forced labor, and the plaintiffs sought damages for unjust enrichment, negligent supervision, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.[93] In June 2021, the United States Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that as the abuse had happened outside the United States, the group did not have standing to file such a lawsuit.[94]

(per their wiki page)

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u/NoListen4492 13d ago

Second this.

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u/banana-itch 22d ago

Is there any other anti allergy cat food that actually works? Please :(

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u/squelchthenoise 22d ago

I make my own cat food, my cat doesn't do well on store bought food, and I've tried all the high end ones that exclude grain, or are made from specific protein sources and she can't keep any of them down. Including prescription food from a vet. Here's a link to the vet created recipe I use and it works great, she keeps the food down and has more energy. https://catinfo.org/making-cat-food/

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u/NoListen4492 13d ago

Do you know what your cat is allergic to? Common allergens are wheat, corn, and soy, so definitely stick to grain-free and limited ingredient formulas. I have had many people tell me that duck and turkey formulas work well. A lot of the expensive prescription diets are actually terrible for pets, and vets in general do not get enough nutritional training. This is a good article I have referenced over the years. https://catinfo.org/#Prescription/Therapeutic_Diets

A couple options that have had great success with many cats is the Natural Balance L.I.D. Green Pea and Venison, Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D. Duck and Potato Recipe, Instinct L.I.D. Grain-Free Rabbit Recipe Canned Food.

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u/banana-itch 13d ago

Sorry I phrased it wrong - it's not the cat who's allergic, it's a member of my household. It's very weird because they're not allergic to our first cat (female), but after having our little boy for a couple of months, all of a sudden that person developed pretty significant allergies to him. We had to switch him from my preferred cat food (high quality, balanced diet) to Purina live clear in hopes of reducing our family member's allergies. We really don't want to give the cat away, so this has been an unfortunate choice we had to make. It seems to help, in conjunction with an air purifier and antihistamines. The cat is desexed btw.

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u/NoListen4492 12d ago

I'm so sorry this is happening to you! The foods that claim they help with human allergies are bogus. There is not enough science to back up their claims. My recommendation would be to first get the person tested to see how severe their allergies are, and then get on allergy shots. I had a close friend use the shots and now has 2 cats!

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u/clarinetJWD 23d ago

Same, there wasn't a single brand I regularly (or even irregularly) buy. Then Merrick under pet supplies.

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u/Rodrat 22d ago

Yeah same. I buy their dog food not because I like it but because it's the only food so far that my dog can eat for some odd reason. Every other food we've tried has made him violently ill.

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u/SerratedCheese 23d ago

Yeah they are kind of like Disney in that respect. They own so much shit it’s kind of impossible to get away from them.

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u/JadedOccultist 23d ago

Once I quit Mio, which I am on my last little pod of that shit, I will be 100% nestle free.

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u/theRuathan 23d ago edited 23d ago

Oh nooooo they own Mio... Okay I gotta inspect this list now.

Eta: and Ovaltine, dammit

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u/killer_weed 23d ago

ovaltine is malt powder, milk powder, and powdered sugar. add cocoa for chocolate. literally the easiest thing to make on earth.

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u/all_the_gravy 22d ago

Mio is Kraft/Heinz. Did nestle buy Kraft?

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u/JadedOccultist 22d ago

Idk but whatever list was in the comments had Mio. That was the only thing on the list i still use.

Not a fan of Kraft very much either though and i could stand to stop pumping my body full of dangerous levels of caffeine regardless. 🤷

E: there’s a chance I misread Milo as Mio

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u/all_the_gravy 21d ago

I googled MIO corporation and there's a few different businesses with a variation of that name from batteries to wall dividers. But our liquid caffeine concentrate is safe!

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u/Childless_Catlady42 22d ago

As long as you don't drink bottled water.

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u/Buzzdanky 22d ago

Great link. We need more of these threads. From your link with thanks. Nestle owns: Gerber

  • Perrier
  • S. Pellegrino
  • Toll House
  • Coffee-Mate
  • Starbucks Coffee at Home
  • Carnation
  • Stouffer's
  • Hot Pockets
  • DiGiorno Pizza
  • Buitoni Pasta
  • Tombstone Pizza
  • Lean Cuisine
  • Sweet Earth
  • Libby's Pumpkin
  • Carnation
  • Häagen-Dazs
  • Purina
  • Alpo
  • Fancy Feast
  • Friskies
  • Tidy Cats

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u/Childless_Catlady42 22d ago

Nestle destroys communities by pumping all of the water to bottle and relabel. There are so many different names on the bottles that it is hard to follow it back to the source, but if you drink bottled water, you are probably supporting Nestle.

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u/jogginglark 23d ago

I'm surprised how little we use from them. I buy a lot at Trader Joe's and wonder if I am buying Nestle products without knowing it.

I buy spaghetti sauce and water for emergencies. Other than that, we aren't buying from those sub-brands. I'm rather delighted to discover this, so thank you for sharing that link to all of their brands.

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u/Friskfrisktopherson 23d ago

Yeah OP is years behind on this. It's wild to just now draw the line.

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u/DanSWE 22d ago

Well, not everyone finds out about things at the same time.

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u/monkeyamongmen 22d ago

Child slavery, we sleep. Unpaid maternal leave, revolution.

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u/NoListen4492 23d ago

Honestly I don't eat/use any of these products so thank goodness!

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u/scenior 23d ago

Same. I don't think I buy anything on the list. PHEW. Got lucky!

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u/[deleted] 23d ago

[deleted]

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u/sharpiefairy666 22d ago

Me too, gotta kick my Abuelita habit

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

omg i was already fully boycotting them and didn't realize YAYY

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u/Critical-Ad-5215 22d ago

Boycotting shit gets harder and harder

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u/SpiritualDot6571 22d ago

Unbelievably hard. The amount of shit companies that own other companies is crazy. Can’t win anywhere it feels like

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u/rynk44 22d ago

it’s really not hard to not buy any of those products

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u/Serious-Opposite-279 22d ago

Wow, I'm proud to say that I only consume La Lechera

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u/new2bay 23d ago

Did anyone else notice they have a brand called “Familiar Negro?” I’m hoping that’s a Spanish-speaking brand 😂

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u/Rocketgirl8097 23d ago

Happy to report there are only two items in that list that we would normally buy.

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u/Cyno01 23d ago

This isnt even the worst thing Nestle has done just to sell more baby formula...

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u/mamsandan 23d ago

At its peak, the Nestle Formula Controversy was responsible for 212,000 infant deaths PER YEAR.

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u/RobotsGoneWild 23d ago

They have done so much worse to mothers in developing nations. They truly have an entire Nestle executive section in Hell.

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u/Stratostheory 22d ago edited 22d ago

This isn't even REMOTELY close to the worst shit Nestlé has done for baby formula sales.

They spent years in Africa telling mothers that their formula was better for the baby than breast milk and giving new and expecting mothers JUST enough for free to last them until they stopped producing breast milk and HAD to buy more formula.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Nestl%C3%A9_boycott

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u/danavenkman 22d ago

From your link: In a 2018 study, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) estimated that 10,870,000 infants had died between 1960 and 2015 as a result of Nestlé baby formula used by “mothers [in low and middle-income countries] without clean water sources”, with deaths peaking at 212,000 in 1981.

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u/comradestudent 23d ago

Nestle also does not just operate under the brand name "Nestle." It is everywhere. And, of course you know this, our dollar is our power. Find out who stands to make money before you spend a single penny. If it isn't someone in your own community, consider buying something else instead.

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u/a-flying-trout 23d ago

Yeah. They’ve been pushing disinformation and bad studies for decades to sell formula (including lies that breast milk is less healthy, which was eventually banned in the US when it was proven false… but guess who kept their ads running in other countries?).

On a timely and relevant note—agencies like USAID have spent years (and millions in aid funding) to counter the lies from Nestle’s false advertising to sell formula in developing countries, where breastfeeding can greatly improve infant health and reduce mortality rates.

There’s a great episode with plenty of details on the Behind the Bastards podcast. Episode’s appropriately called “How Nestle Starved A Bunch Of Babies.”

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u/jadskljfadsklfjadlss 23d ago

i can tolerate slave labor but i draw the line at unpaid maternal leave.

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u/Tilduke 23d ago edited 23d ago

First they came for the breast milk in undeveloped nations, and I did not speak out—      Because I was not in an undeveloped nation.

Then they came for the water as a human right, and I did not speak out—      Because I had access to clean water.

Then they came for the forest of Africa, and I did not speak out—      Because I am not African.

Then they came for my paid parental leave—and there was no one left to speak for me.

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u/im_THIS_guy 23d ago

Shirley: "You can tolerate slave labor!?"

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u/IrinaOzzy 23d ago

Not what I mean. I don't spend my time on Reddit trying to destroy corporations I don't actually support with my money. I don't buy Nestle products and I don't support slave labor. But, I am childfree due to the difficulty of having a child in today's world. And this topic is personal to me.

But this is the typical Reddit bash, so do your thing. What are you doing about slave labor, btw?

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u/Difficult-Active6246 22d ago

And this topic is personal to me.

"If it doesn't affect me I don't give a shit" it's not the flex you believe it is

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u/jadskljfadsklfjadlss 23d ago

well thats what you said...

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u/[deleted] 23d ago

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u/[deleted] 23d ago

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u/[deleted] 23d ago edited 23d ago

Nope she's a successful, generous, wealthy, modest woman, kind heart and soul. I had exs tell me I wish I had a mom like yours, that did for you like mine didn't.

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u/Kasinder 23d ago

He can tolerate everything Nestle does, but now that it affects him directly...

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u/Beneficial-South-334 23d ago

I only had 3 months off. I made sure I pumped a lot so baby only had breast milk. I always advocate breast feeding. Fuck them

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u/Infamous-Goose363 22d ago

Not everyone can breastfeed. I had supply issues making enough for twins, and it significantly affected my mental health. I lasted 6 months exclusively pumping, but it was hell for me. Plus, some women might be on meds unsafe for breastfeeding, have sensory issues, etc. Unfortunately, it’s hard to boycott formula let alone specific brands because a lot of babies can only tolerate certain types of formula.

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u/princesoceronte 22d ago

This reminds me of that joke from Community. "I can handle slavery but I draw the line at no paid maternal leave"

Like I get it, slavery in the third world feels distant and it's difficult to even imagine sometimes.

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u/Drakar_och_demoner 23d ago

I knew Nestle is shit, but this one in particular struck a cord that I cannot contain.

Starving and killing kids in Africa wasn't bad enough?

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u/StupendousMalice 23d ago

Its weird that you were OK with them murdering about a million babies in Africa but this was too much for you.

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u/Susanna-Saunders 23d ago

Oh! Did someone wake you up?

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u/sparkyjay23 22d ago

It was REVOLUTION material decades ago.

How are we in 2025 an people are JUST NOW deciding to boycott the most evil corporation on the planet?

This shit has been a thing since the 1970s.

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u/BanjoTheremin 22d ago

Did you hear about what they did in Africa? Absolutely vile, cruel, and evil company

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u/Silaquix 23d ago

This isn't even the worst thing they've done. Slavery, causing lots and lots of infant deaths around the world by pushing their formula in places without clean water, stealing water sources, etc

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u/Alternative_Chart121 22d ago

This is the US... you'll get unpaid leave if you're LUCKY. Plenty of people get nothing. 

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u/ChiraqBluline 22d ago

Nestle was hiring actresses to dress as nurses and tell people in Latin America and parts of Africa that Formula is better the breast milk. Them gave them a free can. Which was measured to be the same amount of time it takes to stop producing milk. Them made them pay (which they could not) for more formula.

They also understood the lack of clean water and did this anyways.

Nestle also created powdered milk to be placed next to formula so if you can’t afford formula you grab the powdered milk… and then the babies would be malnourished and they could say formula is best.

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u/Elegant_Presence_850 21d ago

So you only care when they’re financially manipulating Americans, not when they’re starving and killing Africans. Got it.