Are there any generic formulas in the UK?

[TheNewStatesman]

I'm coming at this from an intercultural perspective, but my own experience is that in many countriescertainly in the United Statesyou can buy either branded formula (Enfamil, Similac etc.) or "store brands" like the Parent's Choice that you can buy at Walmart. There is basically no difference in terms of quality or what is in them, but the generic ones are much cheaper. I've asked and it appears that generic formulas don't seem to be available in the UK? Why is this? Wouldn't this be a good thing for parents? I also feel that generics would be more ethical, somehow.

From what I know of formula milk, they all have to be made to the same exact standards so I don't know if it'd be worthwhile for say, tesco to produce their own brand.

Meant o say, interesting question though as you'd think maybe there'd be "NHS" brand milk which was cheap as possible.

There are laws in this country regarding formula that mean it cannot be offered at a "cheaper" price. It's the same laws which prevent you from earning loyalty points when buying formula, and stop shops doing social offers (buy one get one free, etc)

Some people say the laws are there to encourage breastfeeding rates, but in fact they are there to stop formula companies from exploiting vulnerable mothers by pushing formula on them either through freebies or price incentives.

Just to clarify I'm not biased either way - I currently FF my DD (15 weeks) having given up BF at 8 weeks, due to many factors.

Sorry, a few spelling mistakes there!

social offers = special offers

My point is that supermarkets probably feel it's not worth the effort if they can't compete against the big name brands by offering discounts, etc.

Own brand formula would be ok and legal, it was at a permanent lower price though. Sainsburys had an own brand formula years ago, but it only lasted a couple of years.

I am not sure why it did not persist or why no one has done it again.

I suspect there's not much in it for supermarkets. They're not allowed to promote it and I expect people trust the brands more? Formula milk is really tightly controlled so branding is quite important for formula milk manufacturers. Own-brand products are often viewed as cheaper and therefore lower quality. You've only got to see the number of people who are happy to spend 50% more of their formula milk (Aptimil I'm looking at you) than is necessary to see that brand recognition and perception is key.

I think there's a huge emotional value attached to formula brand (which is of course played upon massively by the formula companies).

Aptimil explicitly market their formula milk to bf mothers and use their price premium to suggest that somehow their milk is better (the ubiquitous "closer(est) to breastmilk" gubbins.

I'd need to know exactly why Sainsbury stopped own brand milk, but I suspect there's little market for budget formula.

If you look at the packets you can see that formula brands are virtually identical, but most people are very loyal to their brand.

Can you imagine the industry howls if there was cheap NHS unbranded formula? But I suspect they would just up the immunofortis-type rubbish and use subtle marketing to suggest that people who bought unbranded milk didn't care so much about their babies...

I wonder how much a box of formula actually costs to make (discounting the marketing budget)?

Interesting.

It seems that in the States, generic formulas are widely purchased; the ingredients on the tin are exactly the same, and they really are every bit as good. I wonder why consumers in the UK and US tend to behave so differently in terms of formula purchasing decisions? Is there a greater tendency in the UK to believe that the pricer product is better? Or perhaps the stigma surrounding FFing makes companies like supermarkets reluctant to be associated with formula. Given that generics are as good, I think that, were I to FF, I would prefer a generic store-brand version, since not only would they be cheaper but I also feel that it would be more ethical, given the shady behaviors by most of the companies producing branded formulas.

As for the production costs of formula, I think it is really not that expensive.

Generic formula is not widely used in the US, though. The big brands easily outsell it. I have not checked this info, however - it's just what I have heard.

The market in the US is huge compared with here. You could have one per cent of it and you'd make money. Not the case here - our birth rate is something like a quarter or a fifth of the US.

Great question. It's a shame own brand formula doesn't exist, or indeed any sort of unpromoted formula. The advertising, advice lines, websites etc etc must add significantly to the cost of formula, and as tiktok says, it would be ok to have formula that was permanently cheaper, it's more temporary promotions that are illegal.

If any ingredient in formula is proven beneficial, then all formulas must have it - so all brands are effectively the same. (Thinking here of the standard whey-based milks.)