The government is facing fresh calls to deal with the “exploiting” marketing strategy employed by Baby Formula companies, which is accused of raising prices and making baseless health claims.
Jess Brown-Fuller, A Liberal democrat On feeding infant, all party parliamentary groups (APPG) MPs and Chairman said how the new parents are particularly weak.
He said that firms are “exploiting a legal flaws” to bypass advertising rules, further alleging that concessional products for hospitals create misleading imprints of Prasad one for hospitals. NHS Enduring.
Follow his concerns Competition and market authority (CMA) Published earlier this year, Which identified comprehensive issues including misleading marketing, information interval and significant cost burden on low -income families.
The report noted that formula manufacturers increased prices of 25 percent on an average in two years to increase in two years by November 2023, with the remaining cost-record level.
It is despite the misunderstanding of the general parents that a high value tag is equal to a more nutritious product, when all formulas in the rule market must be equal to nutrition.
Ms. Brown-Fuller told the PA News Agency: “There are parents who believe that by purchasing a more expensive formula, they are supporting their child’s feeding or development or ability, when all those milk are really equal to nutrition.”
Even parents have reports of buying more expensive formulas, but to use less scoops per bottle and make it for a long time, which Ms. Brown-Full has branded “dangerous”.
These parents are doing what they think they are best for their children, she said, when there is actually “no difference” between £ 14 tub and £ 7 tubs.
Liberal Democrat said that companies would use their packaging for “nutritional superiority”, with phrases such as “full of nutrition” or “support of a healthy immune system”.
He asked: “Where is this evidence that tells that this formula in any way promotes the immune system of an infant over any other?”
Meanwhile, other sutras will write with “coupled …” and omega 3, some vitamins, or name materials like iron.
Ms. Brown-Fuller said: “Anyway it contains a certain number of nutrients. And whatever additional additional should not be possible, as they are working around a very strict compliance code.”
He explained: “They would not be able to make these bold claims if they were a medicine, but, because it is a meal, it is a source of nutrition, they are not for the same standards.”
Meanwhile, it is illegal to advertise the newborn formula in the UK, but the firms are allowed to advertise follow-on. Milk For infants of six months and above.
This is because the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance is that breast milk All infants should be the main source of nutrition until they become six months, and advertising regulation is associated with reducing breastfeeding rates.
Ms. Brown-Fuller said: “There is a direct relationship between countries that have no regulation around formula marketing and breastfeeding.
“That’s why the government began regulation around the advertisement of formula milk because the number of breastfeeding mothers was decreasing dramatically.”
According to the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative, the UK scored just 48 out of 100 out of a total of 100 on one range of infant-feeding metrics.
However, to get around these rules, Formula companies advertise for their follow-on milk and “make all their packaging exactly for anyone who was just harassing the shelves”.
The Chichter MP said: “They are exploiting a legal flaws, as it is of a legal flaws, but they have completely blurred the lines through the same branding.”
Another form of “exploitative” marketing, she argued that Formula companies would sell their formulas in healthcare professional environment such as maternity units or newborn units for extremely low price.
Purchase habits show the loyalty of a strong brand. When it comes to the formula, they rarely introduce their child after switching brands with parents.
It is also argued that the presence of the brand in a healthcare setting gives “fake imprint of NHS support”.
Ms. Brown-Fuller told PA: “They know if they get parents to use in the hospital setting, the possibility is that it is the formula they use when they go home.”
CMA has carried forward 11 recommendations to address these issues, aimed at strengthening labeling and advertising rules, better parents to make an alternative to retail environment and to eliminate brand effects in healthcare settings with standardized packaging.
A Department of Health and Social Care The spokesperson said: “As part of our plan for change, we are firm to ensure that every child has the best start for life.
“There are many benefits of breastfeeding, but for those mothers who cannot or cannot choose or not, it can reach the formulas of important parents that are cheap and high quality. Families should not pay obstacles to feed their children.
“We are working closely with the developed governments to carefully consider the recommendations of the CMA and will fully respond in the appointed time.”