Nestle’s Big Box of Chocolates, boasting 69 bars and a range of classics like KitKats and Toffee Crisps, offers a tempting value proposition for chocolate lovers. But is it worth the price tag? We delve into the contents, customer reviews, and compare it to other popular chocolate box deals.
Panama Fashion Week 2024 witnessed a unique collaboration between fashion and sustainability as renowned Brazilian designer Jurandir de Oliveira showcased his ‘CACAO: El Oro de la Selva’ collection, featuring Nestlé Choco Trio chocolate bars. This partnership highlighted the importance of responsible cocoa sourcing and environmental consciousness in both the fashion and food industries.
Nestlé Confectionery UK & Ireland has announced the limited return of the beloved Caramac chocolate bar. Fans who were disheartened by its discontinuation last year have had their voices heard, as Caramac is making a temporary comeback. The classic bar, a three-bar multipack, and a sharing bag of Caramac buttons will be available nationwide starting July 23rd while supplies last.
Fans of the iconic Fab lolly have noticed a potential shrinkflation issue, with the chocolate section seemingly smaller than usual. Nestlé, the brand behind Fab, is investigating the concerns and assures consumers that no changes have been made to the lolly’s size. The investigation comes amid widespread concerns about shrinkflation affecting various products in the UK.
Nestlé has announced it will be reverting to the original Nesquik recipe after a recent change to the powder resulted in widespread backlash from fans. Consumers complained about the new texture, citing a ‘sludge’ in the milkshake, and took to social media to express their disappointment. The company has apologized for the inconvenience and confirmed the old recipe will be back in stores by July.
European stock markets exhibited a mixed performance on Thursday as investors weighed a deluge of significant corporate earnings. Notable movements included a 0.4% decline in Germany’s DAX, a 0.3% drop in France’s CAC 40, and a 0.4% gain in the U.K.’s FTSE 100. The banking sector was in focus, with Deutsche Bank reporting a better-than-expected profit increase, while Barclays’ profit fell less than anticipated. Unilever’s sales surpassed expectations, while Nestle’s sales declined due to a downturn in the North American market. M&A activity was also evident, with Anglo American’s stock surging 13% after BHP Group offered to acquire the miner. Elsewhere, Meta Platforms’ gloomy earnings outlook weighed on the European session, sparking a sell-off in tech stocks. German consumer confidence improved slightly, suggesting a gradual recovery for the Eurozone’s largest economy. Finally, oil prices rebounded after U.S. crude inventories unexpectedly dropped, while gold and EUR/USD edged higher.
FMCG giant Nestle has reported a significant increase in its standalone profit for the fourth quarter (Q4), with a 27% jump to ₹ 934 crore from ₹ 737 crore recorded in the same period last year. This surge is attributed to increased pricing and robust demand for Nestle’s packaged food products. The company’s revenue also witnessed a 9% growth to ₹ 5,268 crore.
Nestle, the world’s largest packaged food company, has reported disappointing organic sales growth of 1.4% in the first quarter of 2023, falling short of analysts’ estimates of 2.9%. This is attributed to price hikes and reduced product sales. Nestle maintains its guidance of organic sales growth of about 4% by 2024, along with a moderate increase in underlying trading profit margin. CEO Mark Schneider anticipates a rebound in sales volumes in the second quarter.
Nestle’s practice of adding sugar to infant formula sold in poorer countries, while excluding it from products sold in Europe and the UK, highlights the lack of corporate concern for public health in the absence of government regulation. Despite promoting its products as ‘healthy,’ Nestle’s actions align with a broader pattern of false health claims by food companies. This revelation follows a recent move by the Indian government to prohibit e-commerce platforms from categorizing beverages like Bournvita as ‘health drinks,’ as they often contain high sugar content. Despite concerns about childhood obesity and noncommunicable diseases, beverage companies continue to advertise aggressively to children. A study of protein powders in India revealed misleading protein information and contamination with fungal toxins, pesticides, and heavy metals. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), responsible for regulating these products, lacks transparency in its enforcement actions, undermining its ability to deter violations. Public health advocates have long criticized the excessive sugar, sodium, and chemical additives in ultra-processed foods, as well as contamination with heavy metals and pesticides in so-called ‘healthy’ foods. Social media has become a significant channel for promoting such products, often through influencers who conceal their affiliations with the companies.
A recent investigation has revealed that Nestlé, the global food and beverage giant, adds sugar to its baby food products in low- and middle-income countries, despite recommendations from health organizations against it. In high-income countries, Nestlé’s baby foods do not contain added sugars. This double standard has raised concerns among experts, who argue that adding sugar to baby foods can lead to children developing a preference for sugary diets and unhealthy eating habits.
