31/10/2025
It’s against the law for First Stage Formula (the one most babies need of they’re not having breastmilk from birth to 12 months) to be advertised.
This means you won’t see it on any tv adverts or posters. It also means you won’t find it on offer in supermarkets, and it shouldn’t be displayed on end of aisle displays as this would count as promotion.
It also means that health care professionals (and influencers too!) shouldn’t recommend one formula over another to families, instead sharing evidence based resources so families can make their own decisions
The reason for this is that the UK subscribes to part of the WHO Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (The Code) which bans any sort of advertising or marketing of formulas. (And also bottles and teats, although the UK hasn’t signed up to this part.)
The Code was written in response to the marketing activities of the infant feeding industry which were promoting formula feeding over breastfeeding, and meaning families were manipulated and potentially coerced into buying products, which compromised breastfeeding, and in turn, babies’ health.
By stopping any sort of promotion or marketing, it means that families are able to make safer choices, which are not influenced by marketing.
The Who Code also has legislation about how formula is labelled, for instance you won’t see formula packaging with images of babies or any other images/words that ‘idealise’ formula feeding.
Other stages of formula, including follow on formula, are exempt from these laws, but are really unnecessary products, simply produced to allow formula companies to advertise them.
What do you think of The Code? Have you noticed First Stage Formulas aren’t included in UK advertising?
