Nestle, PepsiCo sell substandard products in low-income countries like India, claims report

Products sold by these companies have been found to have lower scores on a health rating system.

A new report has claimed that multinational food companies including Nestle, PepsiCo, and Unilever are selling lower quality products in low-income countries like India, reported Business Standard.

HT cannot independently verify this information.

Multinational food companies have been found selling lower quality products in low-income countries. (Representative image) (Bloomberg)

In the global index published by Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI), a non-profit group, products sold by such companies have allegedly been found to have lower scores on a health rating system, developed in Australia and New Zealand.

Under the rating system, food products with a score above 3.5 are considered healthy. While the average score was 2.3 out of 5 for products sold in high-income countries, it was 1.8 in the case of lower-income countries.

The group has assessed food products sold in more than 30 countries, reported Business Standard. The index has split the assessment into low and high-income countries for the first time.

Mark Wijne, research director at ATNI, urged the governments to be more cautious and vigilant of food safety standards. “It’s a very clear picture that what these companies are selling in the poorest countries in the world, where they are more and more active, are not healthy products,” he said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 70% of the one billion people with obesity, live in in low-and-middle-income countries. Overconsumption of soft drinks and other beverages plays a crucial role in increasing the risk of diabetes.

Obesity in India

The prevalence of obesity in India has been increasing steadily over the past few decades. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), about 24% of men and 24% of women in India aged 15-49 were classified as overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25), marking a significant increase from previous surveys.

Childhood obesity is also a growing issue, with around 5-8% of children and adolescents now considered overweight or obese in urban areas.

The Union government has launched several initiatives to combat obesity, such as the Fit India Movement and Eat Right India campaigns. These programs focus on promoting healthier lifestyles and increasing awareness about the risks of obesity.