Click here to download this briefing as a pdf file. The UK has now voted in the referendum on its membership of the European Union (EU). There are pros and cons to any decision and one so momentous for the…
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child calls on UK government to better support breastfeeding and regulate the formula industry
Baby Milk Action press release 10 June 2016 Update 14 July 2016: Recommendations from the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights added The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has issued its concluding observations on the UK…
Breastfeeding welcome everywhere says Irish group – exposing Danone marketing strategy
Breastfeeding Welcome Here BFLGI Press Release – see bottom of page for Baby Milk Action’s comment Breastfeeding welcome here? No thanks! Breastfeeding welcome everywhere Leading health advocate organisation denounces Danone’s attempt to make breastfeeding appear a niche activity. The Baby Feeding Law Group…
Trade vs Health – WHO opens the door to big business while trying to protect babies.
PDF: WHA69 IBFAN PR FINAL.2 CLICK HERE for TV Documentary WHO: in the claws of the lobbyists? MIYCN Resolution Guidance on ending the inappropriate marketing of foods for infants and young children WHA 69/7 Add 1 FENSA RESOLUTION PRESS RELEASE Trade…
PRESS RELEASE: US trade lobby ignores global health concerns
Press Release (PDF) PRESS RELEASE: US trade lobby ignores global health concerns 69th World Health Assembly 26th May, 2016 At this year’s World Health Assembly in Geneva – three hot topics are on the agenda: baby foods, WHO’s interactions with Business…
World Health Organization’s independence and integrity are non-negotiable
Press Release World Health Organization’s independence and integrity are non-negotiable Civil Society Statement 60 Geneva, 24 May 2016 –Civil Society Organizations and Social Movements call upon WHO Member States not to compromise the independence, integrity and credibility of the…
Press Release:World Health Organization’s independence and integrity are non-negotiable
FENSA_handout_a Civil Society Statement 64 (PAGE DOWN for the Full list of 66) FENSA Press Release_ASG Press Release World Health Organization’s independence and integrity are non-negotiable Geneva, 24 May 2016 –Civil Society Organizations and Social Movements call upon WHO Member…
Members of Parliament to hear how to protect mothers and babies from aggressive baby milk marketing as UK is assessed as failing to protect their rights
Baby Milk Action presentation in Parliament 17 May 2016 – 9:30 am Update: Click here to watch the presentation. (Follow on Twitter #APPGIFI – tweet you MP to ask if they are attending – MP contact details) Baby Milk Action will present…
Laws to protect breastfeeding inadequate in most countries
CLICK HERE for web stream of the launch event CLICK HERE for press release on WHO website CLICK HERE for the new report Joint news release WHO/UNICEF/IBFAN Laws to protect breastfeeding inadequate in most countries GENEVA/NEW YORK, 9 May 2016 –…
Launch of joint WHO/UNICEF IBFAN monitoring report
Launch of new WHO/UNICEF/IBFAN Report: Breast-milk Substitutes: National Implementation of the International Code Status Report 2016 Followed by showing of Tigers WHO, UNICEF and IBFAN are hosting an evening of discussion on national implementation of the International Code of…
Royal College of Paediatrics to debate baby food funding
STOP PRESS: the motion was passed just now. Congratulations to the RCPCH Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to debate baby food funding Annual General Meeting, 27th April, Liverpool Motion for debate: “In order for RCPCH as a professional body…
Paediatricians call on royal college to drop financial ties to infant formula firms
TEXT OF THE MOTION TO BE VOTED ON 27th April 2016: “In order for RCPCH as a professional body to avoid institutional conflicts of interest and thus maintain its reputation as an unbiased, independent educator and advocate for child health,…
Nestle shareholder meeting asked by Baby Milk Action to remember impact of unethical baby milk marketing on 150th anniversary
Baby Milk Action press release 8 April 2016 The 150th anniversary of the foundation of Nestlé was a major theme of the company’s shareholder meeting on 7 April 2016. Baby Milk Action/IBFAN-UK and IBFAN-GIFA attended to raise concerns about baby…
Nestle press releasing information on breastfeeding and protein to promote SMA brand – while hiding information from parents on why its formula is on clearance sale
Baby Milk Action press release 7 March 2016 (Members of the public in the UK can click here to support the campaign in Parliament to enforce formula marketing regulations) Issuing the results of a survey is an old trick for…
As Nestle boasts of infant formula sales growth, Botswana police file charges over aggressive marketing, while Tesco puts formula with “excessive protein” on clearance sale in breach of UK law
Baby Milk Action press release 18 February 2016 Nestle today launched its latest full-year results, reporting 4.2% organic growth, stating: “Infant formula including growing-up milks, delivered good growth”. This growth comes from systematic violations of baby milk marketing standards adopted…
Botswana Gazette : Police to Charge Nestle for Violations
The following article appears in the Botswana Gazette (17 – 23 February 2016). It comes as Nestle boasted of 4.2% organic growth in launching its financial report on 18 February, claiming: “Infant formula including growing-up milks, delivered good growth.” Botswana…
Nestlé ends contract with IAAF for fear of reputational damage.
Nestlé ends sponsorship contract with IAAF for fear of reputational damage “Today’s news that Nestlé has ended its contract with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Global Kids Athletics scheme a year early for fear of damaging its public image took my breath away. Nestlé’s Public…
Mother support and health worker organisation call for action as Lancet Breastfeeding Series brands UK worst in the world for breastfeeding at 12 months
Baby Milk Action press release 9 January 2016 Update 9 January: Government promises England will learn from other countries in UK to address failures highlighted in Lancet Breastfeeding Series (see below). Leading mother support and health worker organisations in the…
Civil Society warns of corporate takeover of the World Health Organisation
Civil Society warns of corporate takeover of the World Health Organisation 26th January 2016 World Health Organisation (WHO), Geneva, CLICK HERE for PDF version: FENSA PR 26.1.16 CLICK Here for the Letter from 57 NGOs FENSAB138_7-en latest draft of FENSA (January…
European Parliament votes for big reductions in sugar in baby foods and prohibitions on labelling at too early an age.
CLICK HERE for the new DELEGATED ACTS Click Here for BMJ article. bmj.i553.full PRESS RELEASE European Parliament votes for big reductions in sugar in baby foods and prohibitions on labelling at too early an age. 20th January 2016 European Parliament, Strasbourg …
STOP PRESS: MEPs call for sugar levels in baby foods to be reduced.
CLICK HERE for WHO comment on sugar and baby foods CLICK here for Mike Brady’s Blog with extra links. PRESS RELEASE MEPs call for sugar levels in baby foods to be reduced 14th January 2016 The vote in the European…
Opportunity for MEPs to protect child health and prevent obesity
CLICK HERE and HERE for media coverage CLICK HERE for Mike Brady’s Campaign Blog about how you can help stop the misleading adverts and bad marketing CLICK HERE for MEPs on the ENVI Committee. Please ask as many as…
WHO: Unease over seconded philanthropic foundation staff to top management
Thanks to Third World Network for this report – page down for the secondment table TWN Info on Health and UN Sustainable Development www.twn.my WHO: Unease over seconded philanthropic foundation staff to top management Geneva, 9 December (TWN) – Philanthropic…
Hilarious book to raise funds for Baby Milk Action
It’s been a busy time at Baby Milk Action. As our Policy Director, Patti Rundall, sometimes says, “We haven’t got time to swing a cat in this office”. Now, in time for Christmas, Gabrielle Palmer, author of The Politics of…
Brazilian law is signed at last
3rd November 2015 Very important news from Brazil: After many decades of deliberation and struggle by our IBFAN colleagues in Brazil, a Brazilian law that bans advertising of formulas, pacifiers, bottles and all products that can interfere on breastfeeding – Regulation 11265/2006…
Nestlé shifts position on breastfeeding, but refuses to change formula marketing practices in Nestlé-Free Week
Baby Milk Action press release 5 November 2015 International Nestlé-Free Week is a time for people who boycott Nestlé over the way it pushes baby milk to do more to promote the boycott – and for those who don’t boycott to…
Nestle launches new hypoallergenic formula promotion campaign as BMJ finally retracts fraudulent research that built the market
Baby Milk Action press release 29 October 2015 Media coverage: Huffington Post 5 November The British Medical Journal (BMJ) announced yesterday that it has finally retracted a fraudulent study used by Nestlé, Mead Johnson and other formula companies to weaken laws…
Childhood Obesity Inquiry highlights baby food industry marketing and sponsorship
Childhood Obesity Inquiry highlights baby food industry marketing and sponsorship for links to Blog with full Transcripts CLICK HERE Parliamentary Select Committee Childhood Obesity Inquiry. House of Commons, 20th October, 2015 The Select Committee inquiry on Childhood…
The Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2015 – Business of Malnutrition
New publication – the Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2o15 This includes three articles contributed by IBFAN. The Business of Malnutrition: The perfect public relations cover for big food by Patti Rundall, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action, UK Business of Malnutrition,…
NGOs criticise WHO’s ‘non paper’ on conflicts of interest
NGOs_Chan_67 NGOs criticise WHO’s ‘non paper’ on conflicts of interest 22.10.2015 For the past 4 years and as part of the WHO reform, WHO and its governing bodies are discussing new set of policies, currently called Framework of Engagement With Non…
WBTi press release: First summit meeting of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative UK
PRESS RELEASE 25 September 2015 For immediate release – click here to download as a pdf file First summit meeting of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative UK The first summit meeting of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) UK will…
Nestle-sponsored paediatric society distances itself from corporation as it launches shocking first 1000 days campaign
Press release 22 September 2015 Update 25 February 2016: Research shows the messages people take from the Brazilian “your child is what you eat” campaign An advertising campaign criticised by health experts around the world for undermining breastfeeding was launched in…
IBFAN Breastfeeding Calendar 2016
See all 12 pictures and order in the Calendar section of our Virtual Shop. Please give your views on the pictures and calendar here. If you have images you would like to be considered for a future calendar, please contact us.
Tigers in Edinburgh – remembering the Perrier Award boycott and Tap Water Awards
Tigers preview screening at the Take One Action film festival: 19 September 2015 A special screening of Tigers, the new film by Oscar-winning director Danis Tanovic, will reunite campaigners against Nestlé’s baby milk marketing malpractice in Edinburgh on Saturday 19 September…
Protest over Nestle baby milk promotion at Leicester festival
Baby Milk Action press release 8 September 2015 Nestlé’s aggressive baby milk marketing practices are ever more obvious in the UK following its takeover of the SMA formula brand in 2012. The latest example is Nestlé targeting the public with a stall at the…
Nestle sued over claims of false advertisement of the ingredients in its Gerber baby food
This article is relevant to the ongoing discussions at WHO about inappropriate marketing of foods for infants and young children and shows how foods are ‘idealised’ – not only by baby pictures but by vegetables. Below this article are…
India government sues Nestle for $100m over Maggi noodles
12th August Indian government sues Nestle for $100m over Maggi noodles CLICK HERE for BBC report CLICK Here or HERE or HERE The Indian Government announced today that it is suing Nestle for $100m (£64m) over “unfair trade practices.” following on from its…
Open letter to JACEI Chair regarding Methodist Central Finance Board investment in Nestlé
The Methodist Conference received a report from the Church’s Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics in Investment (JACEI) on 29 June 2015. This shows that a strategy of investing in Nestlé to exert pressure on its baby milk marketing policies…
Methodist Church ethics committee report shows Nestle systematically violates baby milk marketing rules and its investment and engagement strategy has made things worse
Baby Milk Action press release 18 June 2015 A report to be debated by the Methodist Conference in Southport on 29 June 2015 relates that Nestlé continues to systematically violate baby milk marketing rules, citing expert sources Save the Children and…
IBFAN at the 68th WHA May 2015 – draft FENSA is published
CLICK HERE for the Framework for Engagement of Non State Actors (FENSA) as it was left at the end of the Assembly. The proceedings of the Plenary and Committee Room discussions at the World Health Assembly were web streamed for the…
Defend the World Health Organization from corporate takeover
The Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA) incorporating amendments by a drafting group adopted on the final day of the WHA : CLICK HERE For comment see my Policy blog Press release below. CLICK Here forIBFAN’s Press release 18th May…
WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence
IBFAN Press Release19.5.15 for PDF WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence 68th World Health Assembly, UN Palais, Geneva 18th May 2015 The long-running debate about how WHO interacts with corporations is coming to crisis point. In the context of its…
London Marathon water sponsor embroiled in controversy over “unlicensed” water bottling
The London Marathon takes place on Sunday 26 April 2015 and the water is being provided once again by Nestlé. Recently it has used the event to promote its Pure Life brand of water. This year, as in earlier years, it…
Nestle Chairman and board exposed by IBFAN at shareholder meeting
Baby Milk Action press release 16 April 2015 Members of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) stood up in front of 2,446 shareholders at Nestlé’s annual meeting on 16 April to call on Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathé to change…
New EU rules will trick parents into buying expensive and unnecessary products that will fuel the obesity crisis
PDF: IBFANBFLG EU PR 24.2.15v3 CLICK HERE for BFLG briefing PRESS RELEASE 24 February 2015 New EU rules will trick parents into buying expensive and unnecessary products that will fuel the obesity crisis Health advocates from across Europe have decried new rules…
WHO warned of risks of commercial exploitation of Ebola
WHO warned of risks of commercial exploitation of Ebola WHO Special session on Ebola, 25th January 2015, Geneva At today’s special session on Ebola, IBFAN, together with Public Services International (PSI) and Health Innovation in Practice (HIP) called on WHO to prevent…
Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support 2014 – Stephanie Heard
Baby Feeding Law Group press release 19 January 2015< The judges are pleased to announce that the 2014 Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support goes to Stephanie Heard, a Health Visitor in Redruth, Cornwall. The Award will be presented to…
Nestle CEO receives damehood for ‘services to industry’ – as the company puts its own interests before health
Baby Milk Action press release 12 January 2015 Fiona Kendrick, Chair and CEO of Nestlé (UK and Ireland), has been awarded a damehood in the New Year Honours for ‘services to obesity’, in the words of Private Eye magazine, which…
Nestlé bottled water dropped from EXPO 2015 in Milan following protests
Nestlé bottled water dropped from EXPO 2015 in Milan following protests 18 December 2014 The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) welcomes the decision of the Swiss government to modify its plans to promote Nestlé’s brand image at the Swiss…
Nestle forced to remove misleading SMA claims following Baby Milk Action complaint
Baby Milk Action press release 15 December 2014 Change.org petition campaign calling for customers to be informed they were misled Nestlé has finally removed some misleading claims from its website for SMA Toddler Milk following complaints by Baby Milk Action…