Trusted Cleaning Service: What Is Nutri-Washing?
Exposing a dirty truth: Nutri-washing
Nutri-Washers is now open for business, and they are here to give your purchased food and beverages a fresh start. Not necessarily a good one though....
Well, you've heard of "greenwashing" - when companies deceptively spin their products and practices as environmentally friendly. So, Nutri- washing came out of greenwashing, which came out of whitewashing. Just like a russian doll!
Now nutri-washing, at first glance, might sound like a harmless way to freshen up your dietary choices, but make no mistake - this is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
The masterminds behind nutri-washing are none other than the food and beverage giants themselves...
At Nutri-Washers, a good image is everything. That's why the food and beverage industry offers a wide range of "good deeds" to help them sparkle!
What’s their secret? It’s all about balance. Just like a good car wash, they apply a little soap here and a little wax there. For every sugary drink, there’s a "community project." For every pack of junk food, there’s a "charity donation." It’s all about making sure that while one hand is doing "minor goods," the other can continue with those "major bads" without a sign.
Basically, 1) food and beverage companies are gaining more brand loyalty and acceptability by pledging to fight hunger and malnutrition while continuing to drive overweight and obesity and 2) food companies are using advertising, packaging, and brand image to convince people that certain products are healthier than they really are.
For instance, Nestle took the blame for manufacturing unhealthy ultra-processed food, then announced global nutrition and health commitments.
“Ta ذغ iya” by Sarah Zahr
Over the years, companies like Nestlé, Unilever, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Danone have faced criticism for making misleading health claims about their products.
In May 2021, an internal Nestlé document revealed that 60% of its products are unhealthy and cannot be made healthy. Nestlé responded by stating it would update its nutrition strategy. The International Food & Beverage Alliance (IFBA) then released an outdated 2019 report promoting how large F&B companies contribute to global health, which was another attempt at nutri- washing.
Beware of those nutri-washers
Sources
- Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Industry Narratives: How ultra-processed food and beveragecompanies undermine healthy food policies to protect their corporate image, GHAI, June 2021. Beware the nutri washers Koya
