Nestlé is revising its nutrition and health strategy

Nestlé is revising its nutrition and health strategy. With this announcement, the Swiss food manufacturer is responding to a media report that a large number of its products only meet low health standards. The company will review the entire portfolio, said a spokesman. The Financial Times had previously reported internal documents in which the company confessed how unhealthy many of its foods are. Almost two thirds of food and drink do not meet a "recognized definition of healthy," it says. "Some of our products will never be 'healthy' no matter how much we develop them." The document is therefore a presentation that was created for the top management level of the global food company. The background to this is poor ratings in Australia, where a system is used to tell consumers how healthy or unhealthy different foods are. According to this, on the scale from one to five stars, only 37 percent of Nestlé products achieve a rating of more than 3.5 stars. According to the report, this value is also recognized by Nestlé itself as the boundary between healthy and unhealthy. Nestlé's frozen pizzas are mentioned as examples in the presentation. These contain around 40 percent of the recommended amount of sodium that a normal adult should consume daily. The orange lemonade from the San Pellegrino brand also received the worst possible Nutri-Score (E; scale: A to E) because it contains more than 7.1 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters. "Should a brand that values ​​health accept such reviews?" Asks Nestlé in the presentation itself, according to the Financial Times. The group also includes brands and products such as Kitkat, Maggi and Nescafé. The company spokesman announced that the poor ratings affect about half of the Group's sales. However, the system does not apply to areas such as baby foods, special health products and pet foods, which are regulated by separate health standards, he said. "We believe that a healthy diet means finding a balance between well-being and enjoyment. This also includes a certain leeway for stimulants that are consumed in moderation."