The report draws on interviews with parents, pregnant women and health workers in eight countries, also uncovered systematic and unethical marketing strategies used by the formula milk industry – now worth a staggering US$55 billion –to influence parents’ infant feeding decisions.
The report found that industry marketing techniques include unregulated and invasive online targeting; sponsored advice networks and help lines; promotions and free gifts; and practices to influence training and recommendations among health workers.
The messages that parents and health workers receive are often misleading, scientifically unsubstantiated, and violate the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) –a landmark public health agreement passed by the World Health Assembly in 1981 to protect mothers from aggressive marketing practices by the baby food industry.
“This report shows very clearly that formula milk marketing remains unacceptably pervasive, misleading and aggressive,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Regulations on exploitative marketing must be urgently adopted and enforced to protect children’s health.”
“False and misleading messages about formula feeding are a substantial barrier to breastfeeding, which we know is best for babies and mothers,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell. “We need robust policies, legislation and investments in breastfeeding to ensure that women are protected from unethical marketing practices, and have access to the information and support they need to raise their families.”
To address these challenges, WHO, UNICEF and partners are calling on governments, health workers, and the baby food industry to end exploitative formula milk marketing and fully implement and abide by the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
They also called for increased investments in policies and programmes to support breastfeeding, including adequate paid parental leave in line with international standards, and ensuring high quality breastfeeding support.
“Requesting industry to publicly commit to full compliance with the Code and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions globally and banning health workers from accepting sponsorship from companies that market foods for infants and young children for scholarships, awards, grants, meetings, or events,” the report said.