Additionally, Nestle has been charged with utilizing child labor to create its chocolate goods. Children as young as 12 were working in dangerous conditions on cocoa farms in Ivory Coast, which is where the majority of Nestle's chocolate is derived, according to a 2001 BBC documentary. Nestle asserted that it was unaware of the child labor abuses and that they weren't occurring on its own farms, and so denied any liability.

Nevertheless, Nestle bowed to public criticism and agreed to collaborate with NGOs to fight child labor in its supply chain.

Nestle is still among the most prosperous food corporations in the world despite these controversies. It generated over $90 billion in sales in 2017 and employed over 308,000 people worldwide.