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University of Leeds Reverses Policy on Nestle

Robert Fall | 02.04.2004 10:46 | Education | Free Spaces | Globalisation

In February this year staff at the University of Leeds were told that they should use Nestle Watercoolers unless they had a specific reason not to. Enquiries were made to see if ethical concerns about Nestle would be considered a vaild reason not to use Nestle, but staff were told that this would not be considered a valid reason.

Today, the university has made a welcome U-turn on this decision, and staff have been informed that with immediate effect the Purchasing Office will no longer promote a specific contracted water cooler supplier. Staff are now free to choose an alternative supplier.

If you would like to spread the word to some other UK universities, here are some key facts to note;

- Nestlé is still violating the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

- An article in the British Medical Journal (2003) noted that Nestlé violate;

Article 6.7 by using national healthcare systems in Togo and Burkina Faso to promote their products

Article 7.4 by distributing free formula milk samples to health providers in developing countries

Article 7.3 by idealising the use of formula milk without clear information on the superiority of breastfeeding or the difficulty of reversing the decision not to breastfeed.

Articles 9.2 and 9.4 by inappropriate labelling that does not warn of the health hazards of inappropriate use.

- Reversing the decline in breastfeeding could save the lives of 1.5 million infants every year according to United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

For further information see;

 http://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/boycott.html

Aguayo, V. M., Ross, J. S., Kanon, S., & Ouedraogo, A. N. (2003). Monitoring compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in West Africa. British Medical Journal, 326: 127



Robert Fall
- e-mail: robert_fall@hotmail.com

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02.04.2004 13:16

Trash the coolers.
If they won't listen to reason, then fuck their shit up. They'll care when it starts costing them money.

Waterboy