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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Is it illegal for shops to reduce the price of formula milk?

87 replies

theSuburbanDryad · 21/10/2008 08:27

Went to buy petrol the other day and on the counter were some cartons of SMA Gold reduced to 50p each.

I didn't think it was legal to reduce formula milk as it's offering incentives to buy formula which is against the marketing codes?

OP posts:
foxytocin · 21/10/2008 08:32

yes it is

WigWamBam · 21/10/2008 08:33

If it was standard first formula then you're right.

If it was follow-on milk/growing up milk/whatever fancy name they are giving it this week to get around the marketing codes then they can discount it.

AnarchyAunt · 21/10/2008 08:35

Yes it is illegal.

I had a bit of an argument with staff in Superdrug about this last weekend. SMA Wysoy tins reduced as nearly sell-by date - manager just didn't get it at all.

Report 'em to Trading Standards if they don't get rid of them.

kiltycoldbum · 21/10/2008 08:41

dont know theyre are often special offers on the follow on milk in my local chemist for which im quite grateful being utterly skint. some of us cant breastfeed are piss pot poor and every little helps.

though i wouldnt want to give my ds milk that was about to go out of date though!

cmotdibbler · 21/10/2008 09:54

Its illegal to promote, price reduce (its legal to have a lower selling price than other people, but not to do a special promotion, draw attention to it, or make a display). When I saw a price drop flyer in Waitrose, I took a photo on my phone, and then sent it to Trading Standards as well as informing the store manager who removed it straightaway.

TS investigated, and sent the Bracknell TS into the Waitrose Head Office to give them a telling off as it was a central promotion, so they do take it seriously

tonightsthenight · 21/10/2008 10:25

Well done, that's very militant committed of you cmot.

Wouldn't want those skanky formula feeders saving themselves a few pennies, would we?

Nancy66 · 21/10/2008 10:27

Surprised you didnt hang around long enough to photograph some of the FF mothers too - you could name and shame them and post their pictures all over town.

wontbepreggersagain · 21/10/2008 10:28
abbierhodes · 21/10/2008 10:30

Why on earth would anyone object to this?
Do you know, I'm getting a little fed up of formula-bashing on here. I know an incredible number of healthy formula fed people, myself and my own children included.
I would never dream of criticising someone's right to breastfeed, so why do any of you have the right to comment on my choice?

FAQ · 21/10/2008 10:33

I FF 2 of my 3 DS's - this is NOT formula bashing - it's flouting the law.

pinkmagic1 · 21/10/2008 10:33

I can't understand why it is illegal to discount formula. Most women are intelligent to know that breastfeeding is best and many try (myself included) unsuccessfully in much pain before reluctantly giving up. They then have to pay inflated prices for formula.

SharpMolarBear · 21/10/2008 10:38

It's illegal to do short term formula promotions. It is not illegal to permanently reduce the price of infant formula - any shop who wanted to do that is welcome to do so.
None do - oh i wonder why!

abbierhodes · 21/10/2008 10:38

Oh well if it's the LAW...cos we all know how right the LAW always is, don't we.
People who go out of their way to help enforce a law which serves no purpose other than to stop Formula Feeders saving money are,IMO formula bashing. Not to mention self righteous and sanctimonious.
Sorry but it makes me sick.

MerlinsBeard · 21/10/2008 10:39

UD isn't formula bashing she is just asking a question

yes it's illegal to put milk powders for children under 6 months in promotion. However, there is possibly a loophole whereby if it only has x amount f days left then they can reduce it

FAQ · 21/10/2008 10:40

abbie - well you obviously have some issues with having FF then - as I fed 2 of my DS's formula (DS2 and 3) and don't see where the FF bashing is on this thread..........

cmotdibbler · 21/10/2008 10:40

Its the law. They broke it. If I saw them selling alcohol to under 18's I'd report it, even though I drank as an under 18 because I expect stores to comply with the law.

I fully support everyones right to feed their baby how they like, and personally I'd support an unbranded formula sold through pharmacies which was priced to just cover its costs to make things easier for those on low incomes.

Skramble · 21/10/2008 10:40

I don't want to see formula promoted over breast feeding but I mean really, do we think woman are so stupid as to make a decision about feeding because there is 50p off a tin of milk. FGS give us some credit, there are many reasons why mothers use FF.

I breast fed my first no problems and stupidly thought it was a breeze and couln't understand why any mother struggled to brest feed, when DD came along she showed me the other side, she didn't feed well at all and I was in agony and eventually gave up and put her on formula, now I am sorry but no amount of support, advice and assistance would have been able to keep me feeding, I knew how to do it fine and well did it for long enough with model baby DS, DD just wasn't going to comply.

No is not right to promote FF but money off follow on milk when its nearly out of date ain't quite the same.

abbierhodes · 21/10/2008 10:42

I don't understand why anyone would report this to trading standards.
Soemone please explain to me the harm it is doing to reduce the price of formula milk.

Skramble · 21/10/2008 10:45

Apparently it turns us all into lazy slatterns who can't be arsed getting our titis out .

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 21/10/2008 10:45

I ff but still think that first milks should not be reduced or promoted. If you really want to ff and cannot afford it there are vouchers that you can apply for to help you.

FAQ · 21/10/2008 10:47

but Skramble - this isn't money of follow on milk - it's money off first stage milk -and it wasn't reduced by 50p it only cost 50p....

abbierhodes · 21/10/2008 10:48

I don't understand the problem. I am fully aware of the benefits of breast feeding, but for some people the benefits of FF outweigh this. Why are we treated like second class citizens?

SharpMolarBear · 21/10/2008 10:49

I would guess that allowing retailers to do short term promotions actually enables them to keep prices high in general. What would be better is if formula was just reduced to slightly over cost price.
Any price reduction is a promotion of that brand in effect - yes there are plenty of women who have made an educated decision to ff, however on a population level the promotion of formula and formula brands undermines the take up of breast feeding and the imprtance placed on adequate breastfeeding support by professionals.
Advertising works - or they wouldn't do it.

MerlinsBeard · 21/10/2008 10:50

abbie, you AREN'T.

UD asked a question, it is against the law to reduce the price of first stage baby milks

I failed to bf ds1 so he was ff from 2 weeks old, ds2 was mix fed and then ff from 4 months and ds3 is currently bf.

I think i am "qualified" enough to say that no one on this thread is berating a mothers way of feeding her child except YOU!

pinkmagic1 · 21/10/2008 10:52

Think the idea of an unbranded formula available through chemists at cost price that someone suggested is a fantastic idea and something that should be pushed for. Like I said before many people really want to breat feed but end up failing through no fault of their own and are then ripped off by the price of formula.