A couple of weeks ago, a social media influencer called out the popular health drink Bournvita for its high sugar content. Cadbury, the makers of Bournvita, had found themselves embroiled in another controversy some years ago when a worm was discovered in one of their iconic chocolate bars. The safety and hygiene standards of the mass-manufactured chocolate were called into question, in response to which Cadbury had to rebrand itself in more ways than one. They changed everything from packaging to marketing, and they brought on the veteran movie star and trusted public figure Amitabh Bachchan as their brand ambassador.
Food Product Promotion: The Reality
Bournvita is one of Cadbury’s cash cows, and there’s hardly an Indian household that is unfamiliar with the product. Many of my friends and clients have asked for my view on the ongoing Bournvita controversy. I believe that the problem isn’t as much with the product itself as it is with the muscle power being used to silence the voice of an individual who is drawing attention to some important facts about the popular food product.
Social media is inundated with people trying to sell food products. There is little by way of regulation here. You will rarely find an influencer citing scientific backing for any of the claims that they make. Even when cited, many of those claims are not credible. It is for this reason that sending a legal notice to the influencer to take down the Bournvita video is even more suspicious. Clearly, there is no room for voicing an opinion (based on facts) that is not in line with the big business.
My Take on the Bournvita Issue:
To expect food businesses to focus primarily on the health of the consumer is asking for the moon. It is well-known that many advertisements are not factually correct and the product claims are not backed by scientific evidence.
Advertisements dealing with foods and the health of children have been put under the scanner time and again, yet ambiguity prevails. What we need, then, is clearer labelling and disclosures made on the front of the packaging.
Defining ‘healthy foods’ in a stringent fashion is critical. The market is inundated with the most unhealthy health foods, be it low-fat desserts, baked chips, high-calorie beverages, and whatnot. A doughnut or a ladoo doesn’t become healthy when artificial sweetener (or jaggery or honey) replaces the sugar in it. Now, with the scanner on artificial sweeteners, this segment of foods will have to undergo a reassessment. We cannot afford to let food companies define what a healthy food product is.
It is believed that the onus to choose the right product primarily lies with the consumer. This is a difficult task, especially because of the misleading labelling and marketing of the so-called healthy products. Consumer awareness programmes must be amplified to offset the narratives promoted by food companies.
Food companies are known to change the composition of their food products from time to time. I have often heard parents of young children say that once they begin to trust a food brand, they trust it completely and fully. Consumers must stay alert to recognise the changes in the ingredients of the food products that they buy regularly.
Let’s talk about the responsibility on the part of the established food brands. FMCG companies are focused on protecting the business at all costs. But the time has come for these giant food brands to create better formulations in response to such an allegation.
Feeding Fussy Kids
Being a parent has never been easy, and more so in the present day when kids are getting fussier about their food choices. Parents are in need of all kinds of food products to help the child eat wholesome yet interesting foods to meet their daily nutritional goals.
To get a fussy child to eat broccoli, I would look for a sauce that I can add to the broccoli florets to counter the bitterness. So, of course, there is a role for additives like Bournvita to get the fussy eater to drink their daily quota of milk. However, it is key to exercise caution when it comes to portion size and frequency of consumption. It’s not advisable to make it a habit to serve milk only with flavour enhancers and additives like Bournvita. You can look to expand the child’s palate by flavoring the milk (if required) with saffron, nut powders, pureed fruit or cardamon. The earlier they are exposed to diverse tastes, the better it will be.
For more ideas on how to get kids to eat right, you can check out my book here.
Concluding Comments on Bournvita
Bournvita is a sugary drink–its label states that there is 1½ tsp sugar in every serving. It can still be included in the child’s diet, in limited portions, as a taste enhancer, but its claims that it aids the development of bones and the brain and boosts immunity does not have the evidence to support it. In fact, the scientific evidence available at this point suggests something to the contrary. You can check out the following studies for more information:
Higher caffeine content in Bournvita compared to other similar cocoa-based products in this segment.
Pregnant women in Nigeria are avoiding Bournvita , for the fear of developing "big babies" and delivery complications.
Bournvita product changes colour because of sugar content.
Moreover, critics believe that the partnership between UNICEF and Cadbury is another instance of mere ‘sugarwashing’.