To be outraged at this price increase?

[Pinkcat231]

I was reading an article the other day about baby formula prices and how families struggle to afford it then today I have noticed several shops have increased the price of all the Aptamil products.

I assume other brands will follow and it just seems outrageous with the current crisis and so many people getting less or no pay.

A lot of companies seem to be cashing in on the fact supplies are running low of certain items so AIBU to think Aptamil have jumped on that bandwagon or is this an innocent, albeit poorly timed, price increase in line with inflation?

Yes, so many of us new mums sit down and think, "Now - shall I breastfeed for free, or spend £25 a month on formula? I know - I'll choose to give the formula companies lots of money."

If you want state-controlled pricing, you want a socialist/communist system.

People are very happy to live under capitalism when it suits, but as soon as businesses are revealed to be money hungry, un-altruistic machines, it seems to come as some sort of a surprise. Companies are out to make money, not help people. I can't believe so few people understand the system we live in.

To be fair to the OP, I can see why she would think formula prices are fixed - I can SMA 1 and where I live every single supermarkets (and Boots, Superdrug and Willis), in store and online, sell it for either £10 or £9.99. With the sole exception of Waitrose who sell it for £10.30. I can’t say the same for other brands but I can certainly see why it looks that way, even when it isn’t.

Also, it is sadly inevitable that a thread on formula price increases attracts judge-y comments, but since OP is already formula feeding not really sure what they’re trying to gain...

Mrsterrypraatchett obviously exists in an idealistic world. It must be hard to relate to all the normal people far below, from her vantage point, high up on her soap box!

Just wait until inflation hits in and it costs £45 to buy a small whole chicken from Aldi!

Why is there this underlying belief that feeding a baby should be free but once they start on solids it’s ok that it costs you money?

I have one boy and another boy on the way, I’m going to look back at the formula days and think it was a cheap period for food consumption in this house!!

On our last trip to Florida i was shocked after a trip down the formula isle. $35 + a tub! Now that is expensive!

Yes, so many of us new mums sit down and think, "Now - shall I breastfeed for free, or spend £25 a month on formula? I know - I'll choose to give the formula companies lots of money."

It's not a totally ridiculous thing to consider is it? If anyone is choosing to FF from birth then not considering the cost of it seems somewhat silly.

Does this really need to turn into a breast is best debate? Whatever the reason for choosing or not choosing formula, parents don’t deserve to be exploited by unreasonable price increases.

It's not a totally ridiculous thing to consider is it? If anyone is choosing to FF from birth then not considering the cost of it seems somewhat silly.

You've missed my point spectacularly.

Whatever the reason for choosing or not choosing formula, parents don’t deserve to be exploited by unreasonable price increases.

Nobody deserves to he exploited. But people ought to be less surprised be it and stop thinking of formula companies as benevolent or as any thing other than a business trying to make money out of you. If anyone chooses to become reliant on a product (and yes I agree it is a choice that should be available( thinly should go into it with eyes wide open.

www.infantfeedingappg.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/APPGIFI-Inquiry-Report-cost-of-infant-formula.pdf

Here’s the gov. Report into formula costs and the impact. I actually don’t know why they can’t fix the price of formula. All the brands are the same, there is no difference. So why the vast difference in price? I know people pay for branding but your baked beans or brown sauce isn’t your complete diet, and the difference between most products branded or not isn’t usually as stark. It’s a very small percentage of the weekly shop. Formula is a very large one for most families and obviously the baby is completely dependent on it. It does seem criminal that families are at the mercy of complete profiteering to keep their babies alive.

Mrsterrypraatchett obviously exists in an idealistic world. It must be hard to relate to all the normal people far below, from her vantage point, high up on her soap box!

A fabulous cut and paste of the favourite MN shut downs. Although you left out “ vile”. Tsk.
I’ll do one too; if you can’t do comprehension or debate there’s no point in commenting.

Nobody deserves to he exploited. But people ought to be less surprised be it and stop thinking of formula companies as benevolent or as any thing other than a business trying to make money out of you

This ^

The companies could knock 20% off their prices and still make huge profits. In fact Hipp priced themselves below the rest of the market before, presumably, having a ‘fuck it’ moment and joining the rest of them.

It's illegal to incentivise formula, whether by offers or goodwill or undercutting price.

It’s not illegal to set your price permanently lower.

I wish people would stop saying breastfeeding hurts. It’s not inevitable at all and I’m sure reading that over and over again puts some pregnant women off trying.

As to price rises, the formula industry is notoriously exploitative and unethical, this is not news. Worrying about the cost of feeding your baby must be terrifying. Can you get formula from food banks?

I mix fed from 16 weeks and am still breastfeeding at 18 months. Sorry I don't fit in an either/or box.

To answer the original question, I have just checked Sainsbury's and the Aptamil I used to buy for £13.50 is now £15. I think, at a box every 5 days or so for an average baby, that's a fairly hefty increase.

I think it's partly taking advantage of thise buying everything in supermarkets. I used to save a quid by buying in Savers but our branch closed in April.

It's just part and parcel of supply and demand combined with production costs. Formula companies aren't a charity...it's a business.

Using formula is a decision. Most women could BF instead, so most of them are making a choice to spend money when they could BF. You don't see anything else out in nature going out and buying formula for it's offspring...we're spoiled as humans!

Loads of things have jumped up in price, not just baby milk. I’m seeing 20/30p jumps on a lot of things I buy.

@MrsTerryPratchett, sadly it's not as simple as that. I was longing to breast feed and tried to for 5 months but had to top up almost immediately with formula. Caesarian section drugs can slow the milk supply dangerously. I didn't get that drop down tingling feeling under the armpits until eight weeks after DC were born. And with premature babies, one of whom had severe reflux, they rejected the breast. Our biology wasn't compatible. They just couldn't suck strongly enough. Many babies that would have died in infancy now live thanks to formula.

I too think breastfeeding is free, less messy, so convenient if you have milk and your babies will feed. Many don't and can't. They would have died in the past. Formula is an essential product for many mothers.

Breastfeeding isnt free. The mother needs to have a good quality diet and a small calorie increae (450 ) and you need vitamin d supplements for the baby. If you look at countires with poor diets and high breastfeeding maternal health can be poor - especially teeth. My shopping cost more when i breastfed.

Does anyone know who sets the baby formula price anyway?
I always thought that the manufacturer gives it an RRP And then the shop is able to choose it’s price. With baby milk the shop aren’t able to offer promotions or discounts, but I imagine apart from that they are free to set their own price.

But, baby milk companies are out to make a profit, just like any other company. They might not be able to advertise first stage milk, but that doesn’t stop them Heavily advertising other products in their range. I bf, but could still name several Baby milk Companies due to their advertising.

Many, many mothers choose to ff while they are pg, which is fine, but they do need to have considered the cost of ff during the decision making process. Although I guess if they can’t afford a tin of milk, can you actually afford a child? While you are buying Formula milk In the early months, you aren’t buying any other food for your child. I’d say the baby years are probably the cheapest if you stick to the essentials rather than all the other non essential equipment that is marketed for new parents. (Eldest is now 14, she certainly costs far more now than she cost as a baby).

People choose most of the time to do this
just because you write it doesn't make it true.

Or you could also argue that people choose to have a baby they can ill afford, and if they are already struggling with milk, the future of that baby is grim.

Breastfeeding isnt free. The mother needs to have a good quality diet and a small calorie increae (450 ) and you need vitamin d supplements for the baby

I made no changes to my diet when breastfeeding and vitamin D drops are free on the NHS.

Neither option is likely to be completely free. You might want a variety of new tops, feeding bras are pretty much essential I agree. It's just the wide-eyed surprise that formula companies are putting up prices for any reason other than because they can that I find it silly that people don't consider when making feeding decisions.

if you can’t do comprehension or debate there’s no point in commenting.

So why are you commenting?