Hipp - Human rights violator

“Those who make claims about infant formula that intentionally undermine women’s confidence in breastfeeding are not to be regarded as clever entrepreneurs just doing their job, but as human rights violators of the worst sort”

Stephen Lewis,
then Deputy Executive Director,
UNICEF, April 1999.

IBFAN groups have been exposing the aggressive marketing practices of Hipp for years, particularly those in the former Soviet block where the company was quick to enter before marketing regulations were introduced (click here for some archived reports). Below, a Hipp booklet for mothers promotes Hipp HA1 infant formula (click on the images for larger versions).

At the IBFAN Europe Regional Meeting in Poland in November 2003 monitors from across Europe called for action against Hipp as well as Nestlé, which is the target of a boycott in 20 countries.

Globally Nestlé is the worst company when it comes to violating the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the World Health Assembly. Nestlé was recently exposed again on German TV (click here to watch the programme on-line).

Hipp is causing a similar level of concern for its aggressive marketing activities, particularly in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Central Asian Republics and Kazakhstan, the Baltics and the Balkans.

For example, the monitoring report produced by the Kazakhstan IBFAN group Zhan Sabi with the support of UNICEF, the Ministry of Health and the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition records that pregnant women were given Hipp materials promoting the use of infant tea from one week of age. Such promotion increases risk of infection. The World Health Assembly recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.

Health advocates are calling for the German Government to take action against Hipp and its General Manager, Klaus Hipp, the man ultimately responsible for the company's human rights violations.

Monitors in Latvia recorded cases of mothers in maternity wards receiving free samples of infant tea, such as that shown, labelled for use from one week of age.

Similar promotion has been recorded in other countries. Hipp continues to target mothers with unsolicited direct mail as exposed four years ago (see the archives for scans of Hipp materials).

Hipp distributes 'information' to mothers in health facilities, shops and by direct mail.

Article 5.1 of the International Code prohibits the promotion of products within its scope. This covers infant formula, follow-on formulas and complementary foods promoted for use before 6 months of age.

The booklets contain such prohibited information as the example below shows. Hipp HA1 is an infant formula, Hipp HA2 a follow-on formula and teas, juices and complementary foods are promoted for use before 6 months of age.

Hipp's website in Lativa offers prizes of up to 5000 Euros if mothers buy Hipp products, including foods promoted for use before 6 months of age.

This appeared on the site http://www.hipp.lv/