Danone promotion of Aptamil Pronutra in the UK and its courting of MPs

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Danone has launched a major marketing drive for its Aptamil Pronutra brand of formula in the UK, including a four-page cover advertisment in The Observer magazine on 27 October 2013.

Observer Magazine

Full details of the promotion are given on the Baby Feeding Law Group (BFLG) website - click here.

Baby Milk Action coordinates the BFLG monitoring project.

As explained in the analysis, Danone is violating various provisions of the marketing requirements in force in the UK - the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (2007) - in the way it advertises and labels its formula and promotes it on the internet and in retail outlets.

Baby Milk Action is pursuing complaints against Danone with Trading Standards and the Advertising Standards Authority, calling for the legislation to be enforced.

At the same time, Danone is courting legislators. On 12 December it is hosting a Christmas event on the Terrace of the House of Commons. The invitation is shown below.

Danone invitation

The invitation states: "Danone Baby Nutrition would be delighted if you could join us to exchange ideas around the role of early years nutrition, unlocking a child's true potential for health development, growth and learning."

Baby Milk Action is calling on its supporters to write to their Members of Parliament with a message along the following lines:

I am concerned to find that Danone is hosting an event on the Terrace of the House of Commons on 12 December from 1 pm to 2:30 pm. This is to "exchange ideas around the role of early years nutrition". In my view, Danone is not a suitable sponsor or host for such an event given that it systematically violates baby food marketing requirements around the world and has recently launched a promotion for Aptamil formula in the UK which appears to break UK regulations. As your constituent, I would like to request that you attend the event to publicly protest about Danone's involvement and to call for Danone to respect the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulatons (2007). Analysis of Danone's UK campaign can be found at: http://www.babyfeedinglawgroup.org.uk/reports/danone061113

You can send a message to your MP by going to the website (where you will have to type your own message): http://www.theyworkforyou.com/

Or find your MPs website and send a message via that by entering your postcode on Parliament's website: http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/

You could also contact your MP by post, perhaps including a copy of the Look What They're Doing in the UK 2013 monitoring report - click here.

You can address your envelope to your MP at: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

Please let Baby Milk Action know if you contact your MP and if you receive any response - contact us.