Save the Children's new report on marketing practices of formula-milk companies: what do you think?

[RowanMumsnet]

As some of you may have seen from press coverage over the weekend and this morning, Save the Children is today launching a report into the marketing practices of formula milk manufacturers.

The report focuses specifically on marketing in developing countries - where a lack of good sanitation and public health awareness can make formula-feeding precarious - and on the importance of colostrum to a baby's long-term health. You can read more about the campaign and see the petition here.

We've been asked to get behind this campaign - and as ever, in these situations, we need to know what you think!

Is this something MNers would like us to support? As many of you will know, we have long refused advertising from Nestle and its majority-owned subsidiaries. Save the Children's report is also critical of Danone, the second-largest formula manufacturer.

We'd be really interested to hear your views.

Formula feeding parents (for whatever reason they are doing so) need impartial advice on how different formulas are tolerated by the majority of babies, which they will not get via aggressive advertising, and cheaper formula , which an advertising ban would go a long way to achieve.

Agreed, but one of the barriers to this happening is the (mistaken) assumption promoting breast-feeding requires health professionals not to give health information about FF. This means that quite often the only advice on FF is from advertising. BF needs support, but this should not mean that those who need or want to FF should be left without health information in any part of the world.

Putting health warnings on tins will make this situation worse not better.

Yep - I have said several times that the labelling issue would be be in line with existing WHO code requirements - clear text and graphics in the local language, so women can understand what they have to do, the precautions they need to take to ensure safety and hygiene. If text is not in the local language - eg English in a country where English is not the language - it is already not code compliant. If there is text only in an area where women cannot read, it is not code compliant. The campaign we're asked to support demands Code compliance, and specifies the size of the labelling (which the Code does not) to cover a third of the packaging.

This label will point out the superiority of breastfeeding (this is already done in the UK and in the rest of the world - it's an international norm, not sure if it is actually the law everywhere, like it is in the UK) . The label will explain the importance of safe preparation of formula, in order to reduce the risk of harm.

This is especially important - and therefore needs to be prominent and clear - in places where cleanliness and safe preparation is hard to achieve. It is also important in the UK, because formula is routinely prepared unsafely - there is research on this, and the number of posts on mumsnet asking about it is futher evidence. I'd say the instructions on the pack need to emphasise this - how about say a third of the pack emphasising it? :) It's too small at the moment.

FF mothers who find their HCPs unable or unwilling to give information about formula are experiencing very poor maternity care - and they should complain.

And I quote Save the Children petition text which actually takes up nearly a third of the page:-

"We're asking you to dedicate a third of your breast milk substitute packaging to a label warning that formula is inferior to breast milk".

We already know that in this country.So it wouldn't have affected your PND but it would countless others who had to buy it week after week and look at it sitting there on the kitchen counter.

Now if somehow such text on UK tins (third world mothers can't even read )was necessary to protect third world mothers you would have some argument even though babies and mothers in this country do actually count too and shouldn't be ignored.However shoving such a message we already know in the faces of vulnerable mothers day after day for nothing is pointless.

Instructions yes slogans no-and some clarity!

The boxes already have a bloody warning on them and if that makes mothers feel guilty they need to look at why they feel guilty. I struggled rnormously eith guilt but actuslly when i looked at why i felt guilty that was my oen issue the problem had been poor support ftom hcp

Its thr lack of support for new mothers that causes pnd not a label on a box and that 1/3 wil include instructions to make it up safely. Its not going to be a skull and cross bones andsaying formula is poison.

A third of the tin is entirely different and the situation in this country is entirely different.There is little support and if you have a non thriving baby really you should be able to consider formula without screaming slogans a third of the side of a tin. As formula is relatively safe in this country they are not needed this size.

Clarity re what exactly they're suggesting in this country is needed,it is too woolly and really people should know exactly what they're signing up for before they do.

Wrong, Polka. The text says "We are asking you to change for the better. You must ensure your marketing practices always abide by the international Code and go a step further: We?re asking you to dedicate a third of all your Breast Milk Substitute packaging to a label warning that formula is inferior to breast milk and dangerous when used inappropriately. "

You missed out the last five words.

I am sad for anyone who has PND - it's horrible. But women with PND, like anyone else, need to know about the importance of preparing formula safely. The message about formula being inferior is already on the package.

"Agreed, but one of the barriers to this happening is the (mistaken) assumption promoting breast-feeding requires health professionals not to give health information about FF. This means that quite often the only advice on FF is from advertising. BF needs support, but this should not mean that those who need or want to FF should be left without health information in any part of the world."

Yes - a lot of people mistakenly think that health professionals can't give information about formula.

Clear instructions are given on the tin as to how to make up a bottle, however, many mothers choose not to follow them (as evidenced by the 2005 Infant Feeding Survey). It might help if the formula companies provided information to explain why using water of 70 degrees or above is important, but that would mean they have to admit that a significant proportion of formula samples in the UK have been found to contain e-sakazakii and other nasty bugs, and they're obviously not going to do that.

As for information on how well the different brands are tolerated by babies - this information simply doesn't exist. As far as I'm aware no one has done a controlled trial comparing different brands. I think this is a bit shit frankly.

5 who said it was,but plenty if things can make PND worse and in this case for no good reason.

"And dangerous when used in appropriately "isn't a third given over to instructions.

Clarity is needed if StheC want support.Clearly there are concerns and if StheC can't be bothered to put more meat on the bones of their campaign they deserve all the questioning they get.

Formula is safe if made up correctly and the warning will.include instructions on how to make it up safely. Lotd of postd on mnet are about how to make it up safely and not knowing how to so saying on the box clearly how to do so will help uk mothers.

The fact that out hcps are failing mothers is a seperate issue thst needs adressing but yhis is about loooking at the bigger picture and babies are dying. It may be a blunt tool but unless someone comes up with a better one its a start. And the formula companies are adept at twisting and getying round the guidlined ie follow on milk which is just a marketing con. So making the guidlines simple and the same for all countries is the quickest and easiest way to keep it simple and harder for formula companies to get around.

Regardless if you feel guilt for ff tgen address that issue, a label.is neither here nor there and its insulting to women to think that a label will have such an impact and yet many people say that advertiding doesnt affect them... But a label will... Its one or the other make your mind up.

Polka, no, the actual instructions will need far more than a third - you can't squeeze a 'how to make up formula' into just a third of the label and keep it clear.

The warning would be needed to emphasise the importance of following the instructions because not to do so introduces unnecessary risks to the baby. The fact formula is inferior is already on UK labels.

You seem to assume the label will be 'screaming' or 'slogans'.

You also worry this will exacerbate women's distress if they have PND are not breastfeeding.

Don't sign the petition, then.

Also why is Brendan Cox being quoted as saying tins to both would need to be the same due to exporting?

Of course if they reduced all the other gubbins on the packaging, they'd have plenty of room for everything.

here

5 it is also about making an informed choice,screeching headlines a third of the tin instead of 2 x postage stamp size isn't helping to make informed choice as it is out of all proportion of need in this country.

I won't Tiktok but like others think it is a shame that there is opportunity to do something and this issue whether it be due to lack of clarity or whatever will be a deal breaker for many.I am also concerned that people are being duped into signing something that doesn't have enough clarity and that all mothers need consideration.

I also want to know why if they're already ignoring international codes this campaign will do anything.As others have said it clearly won't.

Not screeching headlines. Not slogans. Information about safety.

You're ignoring this polka, despite tiktok and others making it clear. Do you work at the Daily Mail?

Leon that isn't what the campaign text says or what StheC are saying in the media.

Ok.

And if going back to the op MN want to have it is a campaign more clarity is needed.

You can't commit to something just because it sounds good.

I read the text again. It says a warning. Nothing about screeching or slogans.

Clearly that could mean anything.

I agree, Polka, 'screeching headlines may not be the way to go. I don't suppose anyone was thinking 'screeching' or 'screaming' was appropriate.

Information needs to be clear; important information needs to be bold and obvious, and it needs to be more prominent than some of the other stuff.

About a third of the packaging here is a pic of a cuddly lamb and the manufacturer's name. How does that inform mothers?

Unethical marketing in the UK means the packs of formula milk are confusing and don't inform at all well. Someone going to buy formula for the first time has a hard job deciding which milk is suitable for their baby. The packaging is a haze of lambs, ducks, teddies and bunnies with nutritional information as part of its marketing text that's inexplicable to anyone without advanced knowledge of chemistry.

I'm an analytical chemist and it looks pretty meaningless to me too tbh! It is marketing, not science.

I'd support this as its scandalous that the formula manufactures ignore the code, lie about following it, and generally only give a shit about
profits. They'd be over the moon if we all gave up bfing.