Why MAGGI bashing is both stupid & dangerous!

So Maggi is in a spot of a trouble in India. Will this phase pass? Surely. Was the Maggi bashing I witnessed warranted? Absolutely not! In fact I think its plain stupid to go after Maggi. Plus dangerous too!

Why?

The 'stupid' part first. I am not too sure I want to trust a state government's 'testing' competencies over Nestle's global practices. Two, do we know anything about the sample batch that was tested with high MSG? Was it really a Nestle issue or a retailer one? Again, how good are government labs at testing? Nestle India raises this issue. There's of course the canard of MNCs taking things 'easy' in India. That's pure bunkum. In fact MNCs aren't stupid enough to take a 'growth' market for granted. Plus it isn't just consumers MNCs (and other businesses) are worried about. They fret over competition too. Remember Adam Smith? 

'It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.'

The 'dangerous' part now. The glee with which some parties go for a brand's jugular is disconcerting. They forget, a brand is in the end an outcome of people's efforts. People like you and me! You kill a brand, you put a load of people out of work. Now I am not saying errant makers of products and services who have broken the law should not be brought to book. Of course they should. But let the due process take place in a fair and objective manner. Till, then hold your tirading horses!

Now for the final part. This is for those who are running down Maggi as unhealthy. Maybe you are right. Maybe Maggi is unhealthy. But that's no reason why it should be off the market! You don't want the noodle in your stomach, don't down it! Also, leave me to make up my own mind!

That's called 'free choice'. You have a choice not to buy, and I have mine to go the other way if I want to. Let's leave it that!