A fruitful meeting between OAC and Public Eye: a united front against excess sugar in baby cereals in Africa

On November 27, 2025, the Chairman of the Board of the African Consumers Organization (OAC), Mr. Daouda Elhadj Adam, took the opportunity during a stay in Geneva to meet Mr. Laurent Gaberell, program manager for Agriculture, Biodiversity, and Intellectual Property at the Swiss NGO Public Eye. This meeting followed the recent publication of a shocking report by Public Eye on the high sugar content in Nestlé's Cerelac product sold in Africa, to which several OAC members actively contributed.

The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere focused on the exchange of information and best practices between the two organizations committed to consumer protection. Mr. Daouda Elhadj Adam commended the work done by various African organizations supporting Public Eye's report, underlining the importance of this investigation in revealing harmful commercial practices affecting children on the continent.

Discussions first addressed the respective missions and strategies of OAC and Public Eye. OAC, as the pan-African voice of consumers, and Public Eye, an expert in multinational investigations, identified clear synergies to amplify their impact on the international stage.

An in-depth review was devoted to the pressing current issue: the excessive sugar content in baby cereals marketed by Nestlé in Africa. This scandal, highlighted by Public Eye’s report, endangers infants’ health and illustrates the North-South disparities in food standards.

The exchanges further explored short- and medium-term strategies to impose stricter standards on cereals sold in Africa. Coordinated actions including increased monitoring and regulatory advocacy were envisaged to protect vulnerable populations from these harmful products.

Finally, the two parties identified tangible pathways for collaboration and partnership. Collective actions advocating for African consumer protection, such as joint campaigns and data sharing, were proposed to increase pressure on irresponsible economic actors.

This strategic meeting positions OAC and Public Eye as natural allies in the fight for healthy and fair consumption in Africa, especially given the challenges posed by agro-food giants.

This initiative marks a promising starting point for a fruitful collaboration between OAC and Public Eye.