Nestle denies humanitarian aid to flood victims in Russia's Far East

A representative of Nestle told RBC TV on the phone that the company was forced to deny humanitarian supplies of baby milk powder for the children, who were affected as a result of massive floods in Russia's Far East. The reason was given as follows: the international company considers breastfeeding the best nutrition for children."

The response from Nestle raises a serious question to Rospotrebnadzor. If the company doubts the quality of its own products, what does it do on the Russian market?

RBC TV's Maria Stroyeva wrote on her Facebook page: "A representative of Nestle Russia just was on the phone with me, on the air. I would not believe those words, but I, just like millions of RBC viewers heard it with my own ears. Nestle corporation refused to provide baby food as humanitarian aid to the Far East. The company takes the lead in this segment in flood-affected regions. But when the company was approached with a request for assistance, they simply refused.

In pictures: Floods in the Far East of Russia

"Elena Yakunina, the manager of external corporate communications of Nestle Russia, with the blessing of the Director of Corporate Relations of Nestle Russia, Andrey Badera, has just told me in a live broadcast that Nestle was forced to deny humanitarian supplies of substitute milk powder to the children, who suffered from the floods in the Far East. They, as a responsible international company, consider breastfeeding the best nutrition for children.

"Elena Yakunina said that Nestle provided Nescafe products to the affected regions "within the scope of another inquiry." I noted that bottle-fed babies were unlikely to eat instant coffee. She agreed," Maria Stroyeva wrote.

Gennady Onishchenko, the head of the Russian Federal Consumer Rights Protection and Human Health Control Service gave a comment to Pravda.Ru in connection with the story.

"I am now reflecting on what they have more in this company - greediness or outright cynicism. If they do not want to give, well, do not stick your heads out, no one asks you. There are absolutely normal and proud people living in the Far East. They did not ask Nestle for help. It is common knowledge that mothers need to feed their babies breast milk. But let them just live there for one day and eat what those mothers of little babies have to eat there. Then they would see if there is milk in the flood-affected areas at all," Onishchenko said. 

Pravda.Ru