wfn.org | BISHOP URGES BABY-MILK FIRM BOYCOTT

[Audrey Whitefield <a.whitefield@quest.org.uk>]

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Jan. 17, 1997
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon Jim Rosenthal, Director of Communications
The Anglican Communion Office
London, England

[97.1.3.6]

ENGLAND: BISHOP URGES BABY-MILK FIRM BOYCOTT

(CT) The Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Simon Barrington-Ward, has
urged
that the Church of England Synod should again boycott Nestle products.
His
comments stem from new evidence that Western companies are violating the
Code on marketing breast-milk substitutes in the developing world.

In 1991, the Church of England Synod began a Nestle boycott, but this
was
suspended in 1994, while independent evidence of the violations was
sought.
The Inter-agency Group on Breast feeding Monitoring was formed supported
by
27 different organisations including the Church of England Board Social
Responsibility.

Last year 3,200 pregnant women and mothers and 880 health workers were
interviewed in Poland, Bangladesh, Thailand and South Africa. In each
country there was evidence of systematic violations of the International
Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes which was adopted by the
World
Health Assembly in 1981. Gerber, Milco, Nestle, Nutricia and Myeth were
identified as the main companies involved.

Professor Andrew Tomkins, of the Institute of Child Health in the UK
explained some of the concern about marketing breast-milk substitutes:
"One
tin of formula milk can consume up to four weeks of a family's cash, and
they may be tempted to dilute the milk. They want the best for their
children, and when they are subjected to marketing pressures, it's not
surprising that they succumb to those pressures and turn away from
lactation to bottle feeding." Concerns have also been expressed about
the
lack of education of those who buy the milk and the poor hygiene
conditions
where the milk may be made up. Bishop Barrington-Ward said: "It is clear
that some commercial interests of leading companies are running against
the
interests of people in the Third World."

The International Association of Food Manufacturers (IFM) questioned the
report's impartiality, pointing to links with the campaigning group Baby
Milk Action. "IFM was not made aware of the project until the protocol
was
completed and monitoring had begun. This makes a sham of impartiality."