Days after reports that a large part of food products major Nestle’s food and drink products are ‘unhealthy’, Nestle India has launched an advertising campaign to reassure customers about its products.

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On Sunday, the maker of Maggi and Nescafe ran print advertisements in India titled ‘We've been part of your lives for over 100 years. It feels great to be trusted like family’.

“We have always been committed to create a range of products for you and your family that serves enjoyment, delicious taste and nutritious smiles. You can put your trust, as always, in every Nestlé product. For it's made with an assurance of quality, with over a 100 years of trust,” the print ad read.

Nestle India has also asked customers to reach out to the company if they have any concerns, questions, or suggestions.

“We will be releasing print advertisements over the next few days reassuring consumers that we genuinely care about what matters to them, what concerns them and that we are there for them 24x7 if they have any questions or suggestions,” Nestlé India spokesperson said.

This comes after last week, Financial Times reported that internal presentations at Nestle showed that only 37 percent of its food and beverage products had a rating of over 3.5 (out of 5) as per Australia’s health star rating system and that the maker of Maggi and Kitkat also acknowledged that some of its categories and products will never be ‘healthy’, no matter how much the company renovates.

The spokesperson told CNBC-TV18 that the recent reports have questioned the healthfulness of Nestlé products and that the global internal working document was reported out of context. The portfolio analysis only covers about half the global sales, since several prominent categories were not included, the spokesperson added.

“In fact, looking at the global portfolio as a whole, less than 30% would not meet stringent external “healthfulness” standards, mostly representing indulgent products, which are acceptable in moderation as part of healthy, balanced and enjoyable diet,” the company added.

After the Financial Times report on May 31, Nestle said that the company was reviewing its products and looking at its entire portfolio across the different phases of people’s lives to ensure its products are helping meet their nutritional needs and supporting a balanced diet.

The global parent too, clarified at the time that about half of the company’s sales including categories such as infant nutrition, specialized health products and pet food are not covered by these health rating systems.

“We believe that a healthy diet means finding a balance between well-being and enjoyment. This includes having some space for indulgent foods, consumed in moderation. Our direction of travel has not changed and is clear: we will continue to make our portfolio tastier and healthier,” a Nestlé S.A Spokesperson said at the time.

First Published:Jun 7, 2021 8:49 AM IST