The Formula Flap (Cont'd)

Switzerland's passion-charged baby-food libel trial (TIME, Feb. 16) has ended in something of a draw. The plaintiff: the multinational Nestle Alimentana, among whose myriad food products are powdered infant formulas marketed in less developed countries. The defendants: members of the Bern-based Third World Working Group. The group had distributed a German-language version of a British pamphlet that charged baby-food makers with causing the deaths of Third World babies by hard-selling their formulas to illiterate mothers incapable of preparing them properly. The Swiss pamphlet was entitled Nestle Kills Babies. Two years ago, the company brought suit for libel.

Bern Judge Juerg Sollberger has now ruled that the pamphlet's title was in fact defamatory, but he ordered the 13 people found guilty to pay only token fines: $120 each plus an additional $160 toward Nestle's legal expenses. The judge also granted the Third World group a moral victory by commenting that Nestle "must modify its publicity methods fundamentally." The defendants will appeal. Said one Nestle spokesman: "Our marketing techniques are evolving all the time."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.