Latest news with #InternationalCodeofMarketingofBreastmilkSubstitutes
Zawya
29-04-2025
- Health
- Zawya
World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warn parents against unethical baby milk advertising in South Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) are today launching a 'Babies Before Bottom Lines' manifesto to warn parents in South Africa against false and unethical baby milk advertising. The manifesto was posted online today to call out 'predatory and pervasive practices' and has been backed and shared by prominent parenting influencers around the country. WHO and UNICEF are jointly calling the attention of parents and caregivers to the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and its related information sources. The code provides guidelines on stricter regulation of marketing of breastmilk substitutes, to curb harmful effects on babies' short- and long-term health. WHO's Country Representative in South Africa, Shenaaz El-Halabi, says: 'False, incomplete, misleading health and nutrition claims by formula companies should stop now. The WHO calls on formula milk companies to stop presenting incomplete scientific evidence and inferring unsupported health outcomes.' WHO and UNICEF are specifically calling on local regulators to update Regulations Relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children (aka R991) to include other advertising techniques and digital marketing practices that have become prevalent in the past few years since the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes of 1981 and local Regulation R991 of 2012 were drafted. Some popular social media platforms, whose algorithms can target specific consumers with specific messages at specific times, were still in their infancy or did not yet exist in 2012. Of particular concern is that parents are often targeted with information that blurs the lines between nutritional facts and promotional pseudo-science and emotional manipulation when they are at their most vulnerable. The pseudo-scientific health claims made by formula companies discourage mothers from breastfeeding, which should always be a first choice as breastmilk is the most complete and healthiest milk for babies. In addition, widespread evidence exists that women have internalised doubts about the quality and quantity of their breastmilk, mirroring the themes and messaging of formula milk marketing campaigns. In line with their multi-country study on the impacts of marketing breastmilk substitutes, WHO and UNICEF warn that 'inappropriate promotion of breastmilk substitutes negatively impacts breastfeeding practices, and that advertisers are promoting a false choice between formula feeding and breastfeeding, without offering informed choice to parents about the real differences between breastmilk and various brands of formula'. UNICEF South Africa Representative, Christine Muhigana, notes that: 'Government and civil society partners are to be commended for their efforts to address this concerning issue. It is evident that formula milk companies continue to actively target health professionals to convince them to prescribe formula. This Manifesto is part of a broader effort to address these unfair practices so that mothers and caregivers are fully aware of unethical marketing practices.' Cross promotion, also known as 'brand extension' which is a marketing practice whereby one product is used to advertise another product by using similar branding, packaging and labelling (including but not limited to similar colours, design, font types, mascots and logos) has become a common practice by the bay formula companies. 'All families need to be supported with evidence-based information so that they can make the most appropriate and informed decision for feeding their babies. Those choices, however, should never be exploited for corporate profits. We are finding again and again, all around the world, that unethical corporate influence is imposed on caregivers through false advertising. Companies use digital marketing algorithms that exploit parents when they are most vulnerable. They capitalize on parents' doubts and questions. For instance, we see advertisers directing fake science at caregivers in the middle of the night, when they or their babies are struggling, to falsely convince them that bottle-fed babies sleep better than breastfed babies. This is wrong and needs to stop,' says Dr Laurence Grummer-Strawn, who leads WHO's work on infant and young child feeding. WHO and UNICEF have uncovered systematic and unethical marketing strategies by the US $55 billion infant formula industry, finding it uses the 'infant formula industry uses pervasive, personalised and powerful methods to target parents when they are at their most vulnerable in the early days of their new babies life, and manipulate scientific claims to promote their products whilst undermining parents' confidence'. Aqeelah Harron, an online content creator who owns the popular Fashion Breed social media platform, is supporting the campaign. "I'm a mom to a toddler and my child's health matters to me more than anything. I think it's wrong that powerful formula companies with big platforms are preying on parents to manipulate us into falling for fake science. Babies and new parents are vulnerable and should never be exploited. We need to prioritise comprehensive feeding education for all caregivers, free from the influence of profit-driven marketing." Several other online influencers are also backing the campaign. WHO and UNICEF invite the public to join them in calling for an end to the aggressive marketing of formula milk, and to share their call to action: ' Choose babies before bottom lines.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - South Africa.
Scoop
29-04-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Protecting Our Youngest Citizens: Put People Before Profit In Infant Formula Rules
Health Coalition Aotearoa is deeply concerned by reports of industry lobbying that appears to have influenced Government decisions to weaken infant formula labelling standards in Aotearoa New Zealand. "Multinational dairy companies should not dictate rules that shape the health of our youngest citizens. Caregivers deserve clear, evidence-based information-not marketing spin dressed up as science," says Sally Mackay from Health Coalition Aotearoa. The New Zealand Government opted out of an infant formula standard in August 2024. Media has recently reported on intense industry lobbying to undermine the infant formula standards for Aotearoa. Multinational dairy companies are reported to have convinced Ministers to back away from the rules. More recently, the media reported the Government is now considering a U-turn and is thinking of recommitting to the baby formula standards. Health Coalition Aotearoa supports a U-turn in the policy and a recommitment to the infant formula standard. We strongly oppose any move to prioritise corporate profits over population wellbeing. New Zealand health policies need to move away from commercial interests and keep people's best interests in mind," says Vanessa Souter from Health Coalition Aotearoa. Infant formula companies have a long history of using unproven health claims and misleading labels to suggest their products offer benefits that rival or exceed those of breastfeeding. This is simply not supported by evidence. Whānau-particularly those who cannot breastfeed-are vulnerable to this kind of marketing. They deserve protection from tactics that pressure them to buy expensive formula based on false promises. Infant caregivers-particularly those who cannot breastfeed-are vulnerable to this kind of marketing. The lack of transparency in government decision-making only adds to our concern. Industry lobbying must not come at the cost of public trust or public health. The infant formula export market is worth billions-but that should never outweigh our duty to uphold the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes or Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Article 2 of Te Tiriti affirms the need to protect hauora Māori. That includes protecting breastfeeding-an act with proven short and long-term health benefits for māmā and pēpi. Now is the time for bold, evidence-based leadership. We urge the Government to strengthen-not roll back-protections for whānau and pēpi. This means putting child health first, committing fully to The Code, and listening to trusted public health voices like the New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance and the NZ Lactation Consultants Association. Let's build a future where every caregiver has access to honest information, every pēpi gets the healthiest start, and every policy puts wellbeing before profit.
