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Infant feeding

Report violations

Send information to Baby Milk Action
 
Baby Milk Action monitors baby food company marketing practices in the UK on behalf of the Baby Feeding Law Group (BFLG). You can send us information about company materials, advertisements, promotion in shops, promotion in hospitals and visits by company representatives using on-line forms on the BFLG website:
Alternatively email photos and scans to us, stating where and when you saw the promotion, using the address: monitoring@babymilkaction.org
 
We monitor all company activities which undermine breastfeeding or which provide misleading or inaccurate information on infant and young child feeding. Such practices are most likely violating the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions adopted by the World Health Assembly, which apply in the UK independently of government measures. Some of these practices may also break the narrower UK Law.
 
You can also register complaints with enforcement authorities.
 
Trading Standards
 
If your complaint is about practices in a retail outlet such as a supermarket or pharmacy or on the website of a retailer or occurred in a health facility you can complain direct to your local Trading Standards Office as well as completing the BFLG form. Click here to find your local Trading Standards Office.
 
In England, Scotland and Wales you need to make your complaint via Consumers Advice - click here. In Northern Ireland call 0845 600 62 62 or visit Consumer Direct. You may need to refer specifically to the UK Law, as not all offices are immediately familiar with this. See The Law section of the BFLG site.
 
Ofcom (product placement rules)
 
Ofcom (the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communication industries) has introduced rules regarding product placement in television programmes. Products that cannot be placed in programmes include: "infant formula (baby milk), including follow-on formula". However, Ofcom does point out that some products may appear in programmes because they have been chosen by the producers as props. Companies can be fined for breaking the rules. 
 
The text of the rules is available by clicking here. To make a complaint to Ofcom - click here.
 
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
 
Print, broadcast (radio and television) and internet advertising comes under the voluntary Advertising Code. Complaints about advertisements can be made to the industry-funded Advertising Standards Authority at http://www.asa.org.uk/
 
Unfortunately it is the ASA's policy to disregard most type of violations reported to it as it applies tests based on its own narrow interpretation of the UK law. However, please do try and let us know what response you receive.
 
Companies
 
You may also like to draw the attention of the offending media or shops to the provisions of the Law. Many shops provide customer feedback forms and these can be used if you do not want to speak directly with the shop management.

Protecting breastfeeding - Protecting babies fed on formula

Baby Milk Action works to protect babies, mothers and their families and health workers from the aggressive marketing practices of the baby food industry.

If you are looking for information on breastfeeding advice and research, click here.

If you are looking for information on formula feeding advice and research, click here.

The basis of our work is the marketing standards adopted by the World Health Assembly. The Assembly is the world's highest health policy setting body, made up of the world's health ministries. It is part of the United Nations system and sets the policy of the World Health Organisation.

The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes is addressed to governments, companies, civil society organisations and health workers.

You can find full details of the International Code and subsequent Resolutions that update and clarify it on the IBFAN website. The aim of the Code is:

to contribute to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants, by the protection and promotion of breastfeeding, and by ensuring the proper use of breastmilk substitutes, when these are necessary, on the basis of adequate information and through appropriate marketing and distribution.

So our work aims to protect breastfeeding and to protect babies fed on formula.

Baby Milk Action works on policy and on holding corporations to account. It is not our role to provide information on infant feeding to parents. Accordingly, we have a page of links for information on breastfeeding.

There is a lack of independent, objective information on infant feeding, so we have worked with partners in the Baby Feeding Law Group to produce a DVD called Infant Formula Explained, with a film for health workers and one to use with parents. This provides objective information on the different types of formula on the market and how to mix up formula correctly to reduce risks if it is going to be used. The films can be purchased with a licence for use in health facilities or educational establishments, or for use by mother support groups, at:

http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/ife.html

Follow the links in the menu on the left for further information on breastfeeding and formula feeding.

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