Anyone able to advise about the law regarding the promotion of infant formula?

[LucyJu]

Took dd2 to the GP for some immunisations this morning. Saw 2 leaflets on display - one offering £1000 worth of friuit and veg, the other £1000 of mothercare vouchers. All you had to do was send off your name and address to the marketing departments of Milupa and SMA, and they would send you some information and enter you into a prize draw....

Am I right in thinking that this is illegal? I.e. using the premises of a healthcare provider to promote formula? And targeting pregnant women (the SMA showed a pregnant woman on the cover) - isn't that illegal, too?

Just wanted to know what I'm on about before I phone them up to complain (the GP's surgery, that is.)

It is illegal for manufacturers to advertise infant formula direct to women, LucyJu, wherever it is - healthcare premises or not. Seeking contact with them is not actually illegal, in other words, the women have to 'ask' for the information. However, everything you describe is against the WHO code, and it would certainly be worth your while reporting this to the Baby Feeding Law Group (google it) and checking out the UK Law (which is on the web - google Infant Feeding and Follow on Formula Law)...and yes, telling the GP's surgery these promotions are breaking the WHO code. You can also find the code on the web.

I do wonder what sort of GP's surgery allows itself to be a vehicle for commercial promotion in this way.

Good luck with this.

Thanks for that. I'll have a look later this evening, before writing to the surgery to complain. Just wanted to get my facts straight.