Patronising messages about formula feeding on formula websites!

[Gemmy96]

This is a bit of a rant so let me know if it would be more appropriate elsewhere.

I exclusively formula feed my child for good reasons. Unavoidable, not-a-choice reasons. When I was researching different options, I came across something that has really pissed me off. On every website I go on once you click "infant formula" there's an incredibly patronising message displayed that requires you to agree that "breastfeeding is best" before you're allowed to see the page! I'm assuming this is due to some kind of regulation. Screenshots attached below.

Am I wrong to think that men would never be expected to click "accept" or "I agree" to this kind of infantilising, shaming nonsense?! Why do we accept this rubbish? I DON'T agree that breastfeeding is always best, fed is!

People have all kinds of reasons for not being able or not wanting to breastfeed and it's often difficult enough without constant reminders that you're apparently not doing quite enough for your child. Sigh.

Look, the fact is that breast is healthier for the baby as breastmilk is designed to be adaptive to pathogens and provide incredible immune benefits for the baby. It is healthier, so it would be disingenuous just to advertise formula and not to make it clear that breastfeeding is better for the baby. It is sad for the mothers who genuinely cannot breastfeed to read this, I get it, but it would be even worse if babies whose mothers could breastfeed with better support or information didn't receive breastmilk because of aggressive formula advertising. So I get that it must suck as a mum who struggles to breastfeed but it's unreasonable to get so cross or upset about factual information, really.

It's not true that the benefits of breastfeeding have been overstated.

New research is coming out all the time.

Hre is an interesting meta-analysis on immune mediated diseases and breastfeeding, for instance:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2023.1086999/full

It is a bit of a fucking joke isn't it?

Why don't they put their efforts into actually helping facilitate women who want to breastfeed?

I am very pro breastfeeding, I EBF my daughter until she was 3. But this makes me ANGRY.

Or here's an interesting article on breastfeeding and babies who have Covid. It explains how the flow of pathogens back into the breast from the baby allows the mother's body to produce protective antibodies which then helps the baby https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8058436/

There are so many amazing benefits of BF many of which are only just being discovered. So yeah it really is hard for FF mothers but it wouldn't be fair on babies to deny this fact as sharing factual info about breastfeeding helps increase BF rates.

Yes this is true

But we get virtually no support/guidance to facilitate breastfeeding and there's no education about normal infant behaviour when breastfeeding e.g. cluster feeding

The website of Baby Milk Action would be a good place to look to clarify the reasons why it is a legal requirement.

I'm glad you had the option of safely feeding your children.

I actually agree with the reasons why this message is displayed, but I think the implementation of it is unhelpful and doesn't have the intended result.

Nobody goes onto a formula company's website to help them make a decision about breastfeeding vs formula. Having the message there makes it come across as irrelevant/annoying/legalese like a cookie message that you just click to get rid of without reading. And if you already know that information then it can come across as criticism as the OP found. I doubt anybody ever has looked at that message in that specific place and gone "Wow, I had no idea!!"

I think it would be great if the government would offer more support with breastfeeding - training for all midwives, HVs and GPs, NHS IBCLCs available in every area, info about how breastmilk production works and the benefits of breastfeeding in the national curriculum. So many women are let down by a crap support system and while I agree that formula companies shouldn't be allowed to undermine breastfeeding, promotion without support is also unhelpful.

@Tygertiger would be interesting to see what they could come up with (and patent) if the regulations were removed. I believe if we removed the advert bans and competitive pricing we could make something better than breast milk especially for more mums who are mineral deficient.

For me it's neither here nor there if BF is better. The majority of people buying formula won't be able to relactate. Banning those follow on milks adverts that normalise FF would be more useful.

For those advocating formula on prescription only. Really ? Have you that little respect for another woman's choice? Limiting access to a food for a newborn? Because the 24 hour Tesco can be a godsend for those who reach their limit at 3am.

Wow, I never wanted to bf but I would support any woman and regularly help a friend campaign for better supports. Nice to know my CHOICE is equally respected.

Under his eye!

As someone who really wanted to breastfeed and tried hard for 3 months and still ‘failed’ I’d have been upset by these messages too.

However, 3 years on im not as emotional about it, however reading your post has shocked me, I cant believe they actually do that. I feel quite angry about it to be honest.

It may be a legal requirement but what a blunt and idiotic way of applying the law that alienates their customers

What’s more under his eye is wilfully damaging the feeding dyad between a new mother and her baby for the benefit of business men and their profit motive. Which is what formula manufacturers have always done and the reason for the guidelines in place to restrict them.

It’s legally required because x number of health impacts are directly correlated to formula feeding. Formula is a 25 billion dollar a year industry (or more) and they do this in the same way they have to ensure you have data if you smoke. Yes maybe it’s offensive nannying but the government desperately wants people to BF because of NHS cost saving. They aren’t doing it because they really give a damn about babies. Just click on by.

Also fed isn’t best- it’s the basic bare minimum duty of care you have as a parent. This phrase has to go! No one wins an award for just feeding their kid.

@AnneLovesGilbert so the alternative is to force women to breastfeed ? Exactly how will that work. Before formula women fed babies cow milk watered down I know my grandmother did it. I saw my mother bottle feed, all my female relatives and I had no desire not to follow suit and split the parenting equally.

Business is business so yes regulations on quality are appreciated . but the patronising and infantilism of women needs to stop. It annoys the hell out of me that this would not be acceptable by men. A man would be asked once and then left alone

Reading the messages here make me sad that the next generation have to put up with this nonsense.

Whilst formula marketing is (rightly) highly regulated, there's nothing that specifically compels formula companies to get you to tick a box saying "breast is best".

As they don't do anything by accident, with a marketing budget of millions, I have to assume that stirring up anger and dividing women with regard to breastfeeding support/positivity is part of an intentional marketing strategy.

If I'm mistaken and there is something specifically compelling formula companies to do this please correct me. There's just nothing I'd put past them tbh.

Reading some of these replies is making me even more angry OF COURSE breastfeeding is ‘better’ but not everyone can or wants to do it!!!

Instead of the government making pathetic laws that mean that useless messaging like this is required (because is IS useless, noone is going to bloody change their mind from one pointless website pop up)

They should bloody concentrate on providing adequate education, support and by that i mean practical support to help women breastfeed because in the society we live in everything is against new mums wanting to breastfeed but are struggling. The right kind of education and support isnt there.

So until they sort that, they can jog on with their pathetic patronising messaging that just serves to demonise mums who dont breastfeed.

@amidsummernightsdream well said. The wasted resources in shaming women would go a long way to financing supports.

But is there actually a regulation that insists this pop up appears on formula websites?

The legislation can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/3521/contents/made

I can't see any reference to such a requirement. The formula companies may well have chosen to put this on their websites. To wind people up. The "breastfeeding nazi" trope suits their agenda.

EDIT you're completely right of course that we should be actually supporting women to breastfeed if they would like to do so, and should avoid patronising and pointless guilt trips. These messages are prevalent within healthcare organisations but those same organisations have also been substantially infiltrated by formula companies.

Sadly I think you're right

Actually that makes way more sense as an advertising strategy.

@KidsDr see below from Chat GPT
Not the actual wording or mechanism but yes they are required

Yes, in the UK, there are legal requirements for formula milk companies to include messaging about breastfeeding being best on their websites and other promotional materials. This is mandated by the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007, which implement the European Union Directive 2006/141/EC on infant formula and follow-on formula.

These regulations stipulate that any marketing and promotional material for infant formula must include a statement about the superiority of breastfeeding and highlight the health benefits for both infants and mothers. Additionally, the materials must provide information on the appropriate use of infant formula, the social and financial implications of its use, and the health hazards of improper preparation.

The specific wording may vary, but the general requirement is to ensure that parents are informed about the benefits of breastfeeding, helping them make more informed choices about infant feeding. The rules aim to protect and promote breastfeeding, aligning with public health goals.

from this i read that specific mechanism of the pop up mentioned by the op seems to be how that company have chosen to implement it.
Probably pushed by legal advise to cover their back making it so obvious but no thought to their customers. Ridiculous

When you aren't allowed to aggressively advertise formula milk, another good marketing strategy which is much harder to regulate is to promote a "culture war" that pits breastfeeding and formula feeding mothers against one another.

Because shame, superiority/inferiority complexes, division and anger do not help women to breastfeed or to support one another to breastfeed.

"Breast is best" leads to "fed is best" and other narratives which add up to "breastfeeding doesn't matter". Women will do the formula companies marketing for them in defence of their own autonomy and dignity.

Find it in the legislation*. Chat GPT repeats what it has been told by users, the information isn't always correct.

*I'm aware that the general gist is correct but you can see why adding in "positive" information about breastfeeding that makes people feel angry and upset is much better from a formula companies point of view than adding the same information in more neutral terms.

I think that there is nothing that says formula companies have to use the phrasing "breast is best". They are aware it is divisive and upsetting. It is serving them to use this language or they wouldn't use it.

I had a very prem baby, I had no milk whatsoever to feed him so he was on formula from day one. My neighbour had a baby at the same time. She was always banging on about hers being so much healthier breast fed and I was basically poisoning my ds. Her child developed asthma, horrific eczema, celiac and was always ill. Mine had 3 days sick in the whole of his primary schooling. I do think some people like to frighten mums who choose not to breast feed into thinking it will have a negative impact on their children's health.