Campaign to permenantly reduce the cost of formula

[summer rain]

I don't mind paying 7.99 or even 8.99 for a tin of formula. What bothers me is the cost of milk for babies dealing with reflux etc. £11+ for a tin?!?! seriously?! and that only used to last 5 days.

So I don't mind paying but I think if your LO has a medical issue there should be something in place to stop companies charging way more for comfort milk etc.

It's rediculous! We tried comfort milk before hydrogenised milk which was £10.99 a tin, I think Euan's Aptamil Pepti costs the NHS £17 a tin, nutramigen is about £35!! Soy, lactose free etc are all rediculous too.

There is no real reason for comfort milk, LF etc to be so expensive. However with the amino acid formulas they are much harder to manufacture and they have to made on a completely different production line to everything else because the risk of contamination with allergens has to be zero so that explains some of the costs with those. I do think though that there is an issue of the middlemen in the NHS supply chain jacking up the price to the NHS as they have been doing with specialist gluten free food etc xx

 

[midori1999]

I just learned from this thread that advertising formula in the UK is ILLEGAL? Why?

Because marketing of formula has been shown to have a negative impact on breastfeeding rates.

This is the WHO code on marketing if breastmilk substitutes:
https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/code_english.pdf

Different countries implement it different, in the Uk only some is law - you can advertise milk for older babies for example.

Really? I dunno. Coming from a mom who chose to ff, I don't remember any of the commercials for formula swaying my decision. I had made up my mind to ff a while before I ever became pregnant. And, in my opinion, it's none of the government's business how I choose to feed my kids anyway.

It's obviously your choice to FF and that is absolutely the way it should be, but whether it's the government's business how women feed their children is debatable. Women not breastfeeding costs the US government millions of dollars every year and that is in a country with no NHS and it's also a conservative estimate.

In countries where there is no advertising of formula (and I'm not saying no advertising would change things overnight) breastfeeding rates at birth are almost 100%.

Advertising of formula helps to 'normalise' it, which in turn has a negative impact on breastfeeding.

I personally, despite being a strong advocate for breastfeeding, would like to see formula advertising dropped and in turn the price of formula dropped overall. High prices aren't going to make women breastfeed, but they will make some families struggle and some women don't have a choice but to use formula.

 

[midori1999]

I would like the supermarkets to be able to put formula on promotion - they're not allowed at the moment.

The problem with this is it doesn't encourage good practice. Wouldn't you rather, instead of promotions, see formula cheaper all the time?

 

[eulmh82]

As bad as it sounds I went with what was cheapest (cow&gate) if they were all roughly the same price I would probably have spent my time reading the labels and doing some research.

I also chose C&G because when I was a baby it was the only milk that didnt make me ill x

Ditto - we started with SMA made baby ill so switched to cow and gate because it was cheaper than aptamil. Babies need formula if they aren;t breast fed so don;t need tp be advertised. I was led by the hospital with SMA not by the adverts

 

[LeeLouClare]

I would like the supermarkets to be able to put formula on promotion - they're not allowed at the moment.

The problem with this is it doesn't encourage good practice. Wouldn't you rather, instead of promotions, see formula cheaper all the time?

Yeah true - and if formula was cheaper BF still would be free. I feel it's unfair formula so expensive.

 

[Celesse]

Seems fair enough to me. Stop all promotion of all infant milks, including silly inventions like follow on milk and toddler milk and 2 year old milk...and every other milk they invent to up sales by slightly switching the ingredients around. I didn't realise until well after having my first that advertising milk for babies under 6 months was illegal as I kinda thought I had seen adverts for milk....no, they were "follow on" adverts.

Then they should reduce prices to a flat rate per kilo for all formula so that people can choose based on factors not related to cost. If I had to FF I would rather cheaper prices than a fluffy white bear!

 

[Sideways 8]

I just learned from this thread that advertising formula in the UK is ILLEGAL? Why?

Because marketing of formula has been shown to have a negative impact on breastfeeding rates.

This is the WHO code on marketing if breastmilk substitutes:
https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/code_english.pdf

Different countries implement it different, in the Uk only some is law - you can advertise milk for older babies for example.

Really? I dunno. Coming from a mom who chose to ff, I don't remember any of the commercials for formula swaying my decision. I had made up my mind to ff a while before I ever became pregnant. And, in my opinion, it's none of the government's business how I choose to feed my kids anyway.

It's obviously your choice to FF and that is absolutely the way it should be, but whether it's the government's business how women feed their children is debatable. Women not breastfeeding costs the US government millions of dollars every year and that is in a country with no NHS and it's also a conservative estimate.

In countries where there is no advertising of formula (and I'm not saying no advertising would change things overnight) breastfeeding rates at birth are almost 100%.

Advertising of formula helps to 'normalise' it, which in turn has a negative impact on breastfeeding.

I personally, despite being a strong advocate for breastfeeding, would like to see formula advertising dropped and in turn the price of formula dropped overall. High prices aren't going to make women breastfeed, but they will make some families struggle and some women don't have a choice but to use formula.

RE: First bolded statement... how does FF cost the US government ANY money, let alone millions? I'm just asking out of curiosity.

RE: Second bolded statement...

 

[summer rain]

Seems fair enough to me. Stop all promotion of all infant milks, including silly inventions like follow on milk and toddler milk and 2 year old milk...and every other milk they invent to up sales by slightly switching the ingredients around. I didn't realise until well after having my first that advertising milk for babies under 6 months was illegal as I kinda thought I had seen adverts for milk....no, they were "follow on" adverts.

Then they should reduce prices to a flat rate per kilo for all formula so that people can choose based on factors not related to cost. If I had to FF I would rather cheaper prices than a fluffy white bear!

That's because the formula companies deliberately use babies who look younger than six months in their advertising and make the follow on milk packaging very similar to the first milk, in order to confuse. They also show newborns on their advertising for their mum and baby clubs and helplines and they more recently have put general parenting videos on YouTube emblazoned with their logo and brand name but featuring newborns. They'll do anything to flout the law and it isn't just BF babies that this can cause harm to. Some FF mums are using follow on milk or goodnight milk from way before six months because it is confusing xx

 

[Sideways 8]

Formula must be different in the UK. Enfamil has milk that's good for 0-12 months. They have the "newborn" for 0-3 months too, not sure what the difference is, but my LO has been drinking the 0-12 month stuff since she was about a month old.

 

[summer rain]

I just learned from this thread that advertising formula in the UK is ILLEGAL? Why?

Because marketing of formula has been shown to have a negative impact on breastfeeding rates.

This is the WHO code on marketing if breastmilk substitutes:
https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/code_english.pdf

Different countries implement it different, in the Uk only some is law - you can advertise milk for older babies for example.

Really? I dunno. Coming from a mom who chose to ff, I don't remember any of the commercials for formula swaying my decision. I had made up my mind to ff a while before I ever became pregnant. And, in my opinion, it's none of the government's business how I choose to feed my kids anyway.

It's obviously your choice to FF and that is absolutely the way it should be, but whether it's the government's business how women feed their children is debatable. Women not breastfeeding costs the US government millions of dollars every year and that is in a country with no NHS and it's also a conservative estimate.

In countries where there is no advertising of formula (and I'm not saying no advertising would change things overnight) breastfeeding rates at birth are almost 100%.

Advertising of formula helps to 'normalise' it, which in turn has a negative impact on breastfeeding.

I personally, despite being a strong advocate for breastfeeding, would like to see formula advertising dropped and in turn the price of formula dropped overall. High prices aren't going to make women breastfeed, but they will make some families struggle and some women don't have a choice but to use formula.

RE: First bolded statement... how does FF cost the US government ANY money, let alone millions? I'm just asking out of curiosity.

RE: Second bolded statement...

For a start, giving formula under the WIC programme, this costs tens of millions of dollars in itself. That is without going into that certain health conditions are more likely in FF infants, particularly premature ones. But yup if you take the WIC costs alone who do you think pays for this? Xx

ETA:some figures say in the year 2000 providing formula under WIC costed $300m

 

[hawalkden]

I personally think this debate will last forever and a day.

I think more action for cheaper formula and helping mums who can't breastfeed/express to feel less pressure about it all and not making them feel guilty.

I was lucky to a point where I expressed due to NICU baby and lasted 14/15 weeks then my supply stopped and he wanted more feeds. So ended up buying hungry baby formula which was only lasting a week so at the price they are it soon mounts up and like some of you guys have said about low income families. It's hard especially when even us on an okay wage to go down to one income and maternity pay it's tough.

It's a horrid debate and I think there's pros and cons to breast and formula feeding but if there was a campaign to get it axed the price i'd definitely be behind it .

I don't believe it should be lowered loads, but it should be taken out the 'restricted items' when it comes to store/parenting points, deals like BOGOF/half price etc. because that's when it's tough i've been caught out a few times when using points or vouchers and i've got to find £7/8 worth of stuff to buy again (fair enough stocking up on other stuff like wipes and nappies) but it's more hassle etc.

 

[Sideways 8]

Thanks, summer! I had a brainfart and completely forgot about WIC baby brain...
Regardless, the government agreed to set up this WIC program so they should be prepared to pay the costs of formula (aka... ME with my taxes, lol) if that's what it takes to make sure babies are fed. Like some women have said on here, they couldn't bf for whatever reason so rather than babies starve, they get formula.

I don't particularly agree with the statement that FF babies have more health problems. But's a debate for another thread, not this one.

 

[summer rain]

And that's why I said health conditions aside when thinking of cost. There are some bowel disorders affecting premature babies which are proven to be more common in FF babies (at least 10 times more likely) this is why if the mother cannot BF a prem baby donor milk is highly sought after by hospitals because the cost of treating such problems is huge as well as the high mortality rates involved. It is understandable as to why governments would want to increase BF rates as well because of the costs of schemes such as WIC, no-one is saying WIC shouldn't give out formula (or that the UK healthy start vouchers should not be allowed to be used on infant formula) but it would cost governments less money if more women BF-that's just the Maths xx

 

[omfgski]

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[meli1981]

i think formula is way too expensive! as is things like pediasure as well. honestly i dont see that many adverts on tv, and i dont pay much attention to them either. i just go look at my options in the store and pick one i like. i also tend to stay with that particular brand because i dont want to change it all the time for my babys tummy. my older daughter has to have pediasure because she is an EXTREMELY picky eater, and the cost of that is ridiculous!

 

[readytotry]

I definitely don't think baby milk should be allowed in BOGOF type offers and stuff because supermarkets will just do the same trick they do with other products so that customers think they are getting a better deal. When I worked at a UK supermarket (don't know if there's rules on naming lol), the pringles would be on offer as buy one get two free. The week the offer was on, the one you paid for cost £2. The week after, the pringles went back to the same price they were before the offer which was £1 a pack. So really it was buy two get one free. There's better examples online somewhere like where the product usually costs £2 each, then they up the price for a brief time and then slap an offer of 2 for £5 so you that you think you are getting a better deal before it goes back down to £2 again. That constant whacking the price up then down then up then down might happen with baby milk if the restriction is taken away and in the long run it would probably balance out the same. I'd rather know that the price will be consistent than it constantly be changing.

I think as well that offers on milk might result in some people constantly swapping the formula they use to save money if one week SMA is on offer, then the next Cow and Gate and so on which might affect their babies without them realising.

Sorry if that was a bit off topic!

This.
I used to work as an economist in this area and these sort of offers very rarely help consumers in the long run. They tend to just increase the non-discounted price so the actual with-discount price would be the same as before.

Also, to those who think we should rely on competition in this market to lower prices I don't think that will work. There is too much brand loyalty and people are (understandably) reluctant to switch between formulas. People dobt In general buy the cheapest formula available. Therefore formula companies have poor incentives to lower prices. This is a market failure and therefore, even as a free market economist, I would think regulation to decrease brand power further would be desirable.

On the own brand issue, I wonder if the margins in baby consumables are quite low due to all the safety testing required and therefore supermarkets aren't interested. Either that or their market research suggests people wouldn't actually buy them.

 

[jenniferttc1]

Having hungry twins means that we go through the 900g tubs every 3 days! So yeah it would be nice to see the prices go down. Ok so breast is best and I totally agree with that but why does that mean formula has to be so expensive? It isn't as if ff was an unhealthy choice like smoking where they drive up the price constantly to put ppl off?

EXACTLY!

I dont think putting price up or keeping in the same encourages BF.

90% of women would like to or are or have BF. sometimes its not a choice!
I had to FF my baby so why should it have to be so expensive;

i think its disgusting that its 'illegal' for hospitals to sell formula!Bloody ridiculous

Our hospital provides formula for the entire stay if a mom formula feeds her baby. The formula companies give it to them for free to promote their product. But this is in the US. Or atleast my hospital does. They kept trying to push it on my when my son was jaundice. Thankfully I didnt give in

Most hospitals in the UK still provide formula for free it is only a few that have stopped. The hospitals around here claim to have a policy of only offering formula to BFing mums for medical reasons but the reality is a lot different. The midwives really push formula top ups here and consequently most women leave the hospital combi feeding xx

They do most nurses were wonderful. But I had one nurse that snuck him a bottle in the nursery while he was getting test done, knowing I was breastfeeding. I was furious. She almost got fired cause my husband made a huge scene to her supervisor. He ended up spitting every bit of the ounce he drank. I knew he was jaundice, but i trusted my body to help him and it cleared up

 

[dizz]

And that's why I said health conditions aside when thinking of cost. There are some bowel disorders affecting premature babies which are proven to be more common in FF babies (at least 10 times more likely) this is why if the mother cannot BF a prem baby donor milk is highly sought after by hospitals because the cost of treating such problems is huge as well as the high mortality rates involved. It is understandable as to why governments would want to increase BF rates as well because of the costs of schemes such as WIC, no-one is saying WIC shouldn't give out formula (or that the UK healthy start vouchers should not be allowed to be used on infant formula) but it would cost governments less money if more women BF-that's just the Maths xx

You've got no chuffing chance of getting donor milk at our local hospitals - I was talking to someone desperate to donate to the milk bank who was faced with having to make trips to Birmingham with "deposits" if she wanted to do so. Choice I got given when they fitted her nasal tube... Cow and Gate or SMA. So yeah you can add wrecking my baby's bowels to the list of sins I've committed as a mother - I'm going to need a loo roll to write them on soon.

 

[Belle25]

Mmmmm a difficult one

Infant formulas are not advertised....so there shouldnt be advertising costs in their prices? Of course the manufacturers will also make follow-on milks which they do advertise.

I dont think the price is high at all......an £8 tin can last a week or more at the start - so less than £1 per day to feed a newborn - thats cheap to me!!!!!

Perhaps if they were more expensive then maybe more folk would consider breastfeeding??

I agree with what you say. I am sorry to say I kind of agree with it. xx

 

[mrsrof]

I would like the supermarkets to be able to put formula on promotion - they're not allowed at the moment.

The problem with this is it doesn't encourage good practice. Wouldn't you rather, instead of promotions, see formula cheaper all the time?

Yeah true - and if formula was cheaper BF still would be free. I feel it's unfair formula so expensive.

The thing is though, breastfeeding for me was getting expensive...between buying a pump to express because I was too sore to put the baby on my boob, to buying lansinoh for my poor bleeding nipples, nipple guards (which were bloody useless and just nearly smothered my child), cooling pads, breast shells etc, all because I was determined to breastfeed.

In the end the expense wasn't a factor in me giving it up and switching to formula (the fact that I couldn't even think about feeding her without becoming a blubbering mess at the thought of the horrendous pain I was about to be in was what made me give it up. Every time she cried I broke down!). We're all much happier on formula but agree that it is expensive...we use cow and gate because we weren't happy with her on SMA and c&g was cheaper than aptamil!