NESTLE BOYCOTT

The boycott of Nestle products adopted by the AFT Convention in 1979 urged that all AFT members refrain from buying Nestle products until the company changed the following practices in its marketing of infant formula: 1) the use of milk nurses; 2) the distribution of free supplies of formula to hospitals, clinics and homes of newborn babies; 3) the promotion of formula to the health professions through health institutions; and 4) the promotion and advertisement of artificial infant formula directly to consumers. In 1981, the AFT adopted a resolution by the convention endorsing the World Health Organization's International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and condemning the Reagan Administration's opposition to adoption of the code.

Since those two resolutions were passed, the Nestle Corporation has made substantial progress in changing its marketing procedures for infant formula. In its most recent Revised Nestle Instructions to all of its infant formula marketing personnel and distributors in developing countries (October 14, 1982) the concerns expressed in the original AFT resolution have been substantially met by adoption of the language and intent of the WHO code. Nestle has issued instructions that "no company personnel may be used by the health care system for mothercraft [milk nurse] duties," in conformity with the WHO code (article 6.4). Nestle has restricted the distribution of free supplies of formula to hospitals and clinics in con­formity with the WHO code for use with infants "who have to be fed on breast-milk substitutes" (article 6.6). Nestle instructions prohibit the distribution of samples directly to mothers in conformity with the code (article 5.1). Nestle instructions require that "[I]n their contacts with health workers, Company personnel have the responsibility to emphasize the superiority of breastfeeding" and that "[N]o financial or material inducements to promote products within the scope of the Code should be offered to health workers or members of their families" (article 7.2 and 7.3). Finally, Nestle has directed that "information relating to infant formula must not be communicated directly to mothers or the general public either through public media, or by personal contact between company representatives and the public," in conformity with the WHO code (article 5.1). The Nestle Company has established an independent audit commission chaired by Edmund Muskie, former United States Senator and Secretary of State, to monitor complaints regarding the implementation of its revised instructions.

WHEREAS, the Nestle Company in its instructions to its personnel has corrected the abuses that led to AFT's adoption of a boycott resolution:

RESOLVED, that in recognition of the important changes in its marketing procedures and of its willingness as the only manufacturer and distributor of infant formula in the developing nations to endorse and adopt the provisions of the WHO code, the AFT executive council recommends that the boycott of Nestle products be rescinded. (Executive Council)