Manufacturers using ‘hidden marketing’ methods to promote baby formula

Manufacturers using ‘hidden marketing’ methods online to promote baby formula - new report finds

A new report from The Food Foundation’s  Kids Food Guarantee programme, which has been monitoring the price of first infant formula since April 2023 during the cost of living crisis and concerns around affordability, has found that:

• Some retailers are promoting first infant formula on their online webshops despite this being against the WHO International Code of Marketing Breast Milk Substitutes.
• The most expensive first infant formula on the market is now twice as expensive as the cheapest first infant formula available despite being nutritionally comparable
• Baby formula prices remain high, with little action taken by retailers despite accusations of profiteering

Manufacturers using ‘hidden marketing’ methods online to promote baby formula

The Food Foundation report finds that several retailers are marketing formula on behalf of manufacturers on their online webshops which is against the WHO International Code of Marketing Breast Milk Substitutes.

This states that "manufacturers and distributors should not engage in any form of promotion related to breast milk substitutes...this includes....establishing parent clubs and helplines."

Carelines go against the WHO’s Code of marketing as they are used to build relationships with parents by claiming to offer support, reassurance and friendly advice, that parents may not realise is in fact a marketing tactic.

These tactics fail to protect families and their decisions around feeding from undue commercial influences.

Specifically, Tesco, Morrisons and Ocado are passing on promotion of Aptamil and Cow & Gate careline information within product information on their online webshops.

It is unclear from the Aptamil promotional materials as to who is responsible for their helpline as it is unbranded. Parents may not therefore realise it is run by Aptamil (a Danone brand).

Pricing of first infant formula remains highly variable across brands and supermarkets, despite regulation meaning all are nutritionally comparable

The report, which looks at six standard first infant formula milk products and their prices at nine major UK retailers, found that the most expensive powdered first infant formula product on the market (Co-op’s Aptamil 1 First Infant Milk From Birth 800g, retailing at £14.00) is twice as expensive as the cheapest first infant formula product available (Aldi’s Mamia brand 800g, retailing at £7.09).

All first infant formula products on the UK market must comply with regulations on nutrition composition which means they are all judged to be safe and suitable to support adequate growth and development. The variation in price is therefore concerning.

Baby formula prices remain high despite accusations of profiteering

The report finds that although some progress has been made in driving down the cost of infant first milk, formula prices remain high.

A previous report from the Competitions and Market Authority (CMA) expressed concern manufacturers were pushing prices of formula up above input costs and profiteering from new parents.

This new update on prices from The Food Foundation comes ahead of the CMA's follow up report which will go into further detail on pricing and competition within the infant formula market.

The Food Foundation has found that the biggest positive shift is that as of October 2024, there are now three first milk formula products available in standard tins (800g) that are affordable within the weekly £8.50 Healthy Start government funding provided for children under one: Aldi’s own-label Mamia brand, SMA’s Little Steps brand, and Lidl’s newly launched own-label Lupilu brand first formula.

However, despite a few price reductions, progress is slow and there is still a large variation in pricing across the retailers for individual products and brands.

Anna Taylor, Executive Director at the Food Foundation, said: "The first year of a baby’s life is a hugely important time for laying down strong foundations for their future health.

"It’s a time of really rapid growth and development, so it’s incredibly concerning that families face such a lottery when it comes to accessing and affording first infant formula.

"First infant formula is absolutely essential for those families dependent on it, yet we know that one in four mothers struggle to afford it.

"This is too important to be left to the market. We need the government to step in and make sure that first infant formula is affordable for those who need it."

Penny, a Food Foundation Food Ambassador, said: "For mums who have to formula feed, the price of formula needs to come down. The formula is all the same, despite how it’s marketed.

"The nutritional values are the same but the prices aren’t. Government should step in to make sure everyone can afford formula if they need it.

"I would like to know how much an actual tin of formula milk cost from the manufacturer, the profit must be huge, right? So they’re making a profit on us.

"And the Healthy Start scheme doesn't even start to cover it. It's very frustrating."

FOOTNOTES
^{(1), (2)} This online survey was conducted with 6,177 adults in the United Kingdom commissioned by The Food Foundation and conducted by YouGov Plc between 26th June-2nd July 2024. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults 18+. The figures presented from the online survey have been analysed independently by The Food Foundation and Genevieve Hadida, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. To assess mental health, respondents were asked if they were living with a mental health condition, that is, an emotional, nervous or psychiatric problem, as diagnosed by a health professional.

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Please contact Juliet Grant on 07929 075489 or email juliet.grant@foodfoundation.org.uk

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