Nestléboycot

Nestlé boycott refers to a long-running consumer and activist campaign against the multinational food company Nestlé over its business practices. The central focus has traditionally been Nestlé's marketing of infant formula and the alleged negative consequences for breastfeeding in developing countries, as well as broader questions about corporate responsibility and supply-chain ethics.

The movement began in the late 1970s after NGOs argued that Nestlé engaged in aggressive marketing of infant formula in places with limited access to clean water or healthcare, undermining breastfeeding. Campaigns such as the UK-based Baby Milk Action helped mobilize international attention and spurred organized actions in many countries. A landmark development was the World Health Assembly's adoption in 1981 of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, which many campaigners say Nestlé did not fully comply with. The code regulates marketing practices in relation to infant formula, feeding bottles, and related products and is implemented voluntarily by many companies and countries.

Nestlé has stated that it conforms to local laws and participates in voluntary codes, and it has published marketing guidelines for breast-milk substitutes and related products. The boycott thus centers on calls for full compliance with the code and greater transparency in marketing practices. Over time, critics broadened the focus to Nestlé's cocoa sourcing and allegations of child labor in its supply chains. Nestlé has responded with supplier standards, audits, and programs aimed at improving farmer livelihoods and reducing child labor, though activists continue to pursue stronger action and disclosure.

Today the Nestlé boycott remains active in some regions and communities, though attention and intensity vary by issue and geography. It is often cited as one of the longest-running consumer campaigns in modern corporate conduct.