Annoyed with the price of formula

[pigletmania]

I am mixed feeding, after a rocky start bf and ds not latching found myself having to express and supplement with formula. The formula is over 10 pounds a tin, and the tin is never full up. This is an essential product if a mum is not able to bf, or chooses not to. There should be an upper limit on price, and formula should be unbranded.

All the supermarkets round here sell all the brands for £7.99.
I thought it was the law, but someone much cleverer than me will be able to confirm.

you can't unbrand formula -they are all different and some suit some babies and not others

look on the bright side -the tins come in really useful for stuff

I completely agree - there should be generic formula available, maybe through the NHS? I used to get oilatum on a repeat prescription for ds's eczema, so shouldn't milk be available too - even if it was at a reduced price rather than free.

There's no reason you can't have an unbranded version workshy - and really they are all very, very similar (by law) anyway.

I go to the co op as its down the road, Aptimil, over 10 pounds . What supermarkets ICan, will have to go

You could 'unbrand' formula, just as you can cigarettes (not comparing the two products. It's just the only example I know where unbranding has been seriously discussed). It wouldn't mean that there weren't different ones, but that it had to be sold in plain cartons.

The amount of money formula companies spend on 'information roadshows', pens for HCPs and soft toys is shocking. If they didn't do this sort of stuff, the price would be lower. I find that appalling.

Aptimil is the premium priced formula though isn't it? It's almost the same as the others, how much are other brands?

Cow&Gate is the same as Aptimal, it is owned by the same company - it's just aptimal is marketed as "premium" and C&G is mid-range.

I don't see why you couldn't have unbranded/generic formula - after all you have Calpol and generic "infant paracetamol suspension".

8.99 a tin for SMA gold.

Agree with Rubirosa. TBH, what is really needed to bring down formula prices is supermarkets to sell own brands. But I assume that market research suggests that parents wouldn't buy it - maybe not liking being tied to a particular supermarket, or too invested in the branding as a mark of quality.

thanks Rubi

It's made for a profit, not out of the goodness of the companies' hearts.

Asda, Morrisons and Boots, I'm in Leeds if that makes a difference?

thanks i can, i am in Milton keynes

Morrisons sells cow and Gate for £7.99. So does boots, sansburys, Asda, ect...

ok I get the unbranded now -thought you just meant only selling one formula (and having had a DD who was very poorly on cow& gate who thrived on omneo I see them as different-unless I wass just brain washed?)

"It's made for a profit, not out of the goodness of the companies' hearts."

Exactly, so wouldn't it be better if it could be made much more affordable by being sold at cost price (eg. by the NHS).

Its v unfair if its much cheaper in different regions. I am in MK also and paying £10 per tin. I was hospitalised at 2 weeks post partum so had to give up breast feeding. The cost just makes it tougher to accept.

Would like to know what I can do with the empty tins though!

Aptimil £9.49 at Ocado. I totally agree with you. i think if you are on very low income you get vouchers to buy milk (or at least you used to, no idea if this is still the case)

oh bless Thelobsterswife . Yes know, i refuse to give up pumping until my boobs have nothing left.

You still get healthy start vouchers - you can exchange them for fruit/veg, milk or formula. If you have one child it's £12.40 a month I think.

If the NHS is going to subsidise it I think it should be as 'medically indicated'... whatever that may look like...

I'm not saying that the NHS should subsidise it, I'm saying it should be sold for what it costs to make, not for huge profits.

If a baby isn't being breastfed, then formula is pretty medically indicated for that baby.

£10 a tin is shocking, how are people meant to afford that? It's not fair for parents who don't have a choice.

There is a petition about it here that you could sign if you wanted. If formula companies spent less on advertising then they could bring the cost down. It makes me feel really uncomfortable that they can make such a huge profit over a product that for many families is essential.

Piglet- I think you are doing an amazing job expressing :)

Try living in the US: a tub of the current brand of formula that I use is $28 (18 GBP)!! A liter of ready-made formula is $7.00 (4.50 GBP).

Thankfully, DS is nearly 8 months so not long now before he cuts down his milk feeds and only 4 months until he's off it completely... can't wait because I hate the stuff anyway...

I thought formula prices were deliberately unregulated to discourage mothers from using it? If it's expensive it's one more incentive to bf - but of course that neglects the case of those of us who couldn't bf.

If there was a market for supermarket own-brand formula then they would be selling it. Formula is a product where a higher price can increase sales e.g. Aptimil, where a higher price makes a lot of people think it is a better product.