Transcript of the Debate @HLFoodObesity. Mar 27 At 10am on 28 March 2025, a debate on our report ‘Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system’ is scheduled in the House of Lords. The debate is being…
Report shows UK mothers being let down
PRESS RELEASE Monday 23rd March 2025 REPORT SHOWS UK MOTHERS ARE BEING LET DOWN UK Health Professionals lack training on infant feeding Findings from the UK’s second World Breasfeeding Trends Initiative assessment What happens when a breastfeeding mother is…
UK Government authority calls for follow-up formula ad ban and generic labelling
BFLG-UK response to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) infant and follow-on formula market study: 8 April 2025 UK government authority calls for follow-up formula ad ban and generic labelling Press release 14th February 2025 Baby Milk Action/ IBFAN UK…
Government response to Food, Diet and Obesity Committee
30 January 2025 The UK Government has responded to many strong recommendations in the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee inquiry report, Recipe for Health: a plan to fix our broken food system. The House of Lords report…
CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) publishes Interim Report on formula marketings
BMA CMA response Dec 2024. BFLG RESPONSE. Statement from First Steps Nutrition Trust and Baby Feeding Law Group Press release Infant formula: CMA sets out concerns and potential solutions CMA interim report outlines concerns regarding the infant formula market –…
Compilation on EU and UK legislation
Compilation of some of the press releases and blogs related to EU legislation – a work in progress! Romania: EU legislation and the protection of child health Blog about Romania March 2017 https://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/11290 UK News: specialised formulas more likely…
Remembering the Julie Crawford Award and Stella Glenn – please donate
We were sad to learn from her grandson of the death of Stella Glenn, the mother of Julie Crawford – a former Director of Baby Milk Action. Both were longtime supporters of our work. Jake has set up a fundraising…
Competition & Markets Authority: significant concerns about the behaviour of manufacturers
The Competition and Markets Authority announces significant concerns about the ‘behaviour of manufacturers…’ CMA comprehensive update August 2024 The cost of infant formula in the UK and in many other countries has been increasing unjustifiably rapidly, with an average…
COMPILATION: Greed-flation -Rocketing formula prices: no excuse to resort to commercial schemes.
COMPILATION: Greed-flation The cost of infant formula in the UK and in many other countries has been increasing unjustifiably rapidly, with an average price increase of 24%1 in two years from 2021 to 2023 with a 45% price increase with…
UK News: specialised formulas more likely to fuel obesity
Special baby milk ‘more likely to fuel obesity, tooth decay and digestive problems’ “Nutritionists say nine in 10 babies in the UK given formulas designed for those allergic to cow’s milk do not actually have an allergy.” An Editorial in…
COMPILATION: Research
Petition: 40K people call for immediate halt to an unethical formula study in Uganda and Guinea-Bissau Is ZeroSeparation Astroturfing? How business groups use babies to recruit allies New Lancet series: Revisiting maternal and child undernutrition Nestlé cancels its…
House of Lords inquiry on Food, Diet and Obesity Committee
written evidence BMA HoL8.4.24 25 March 2024 – Food, Diet and Obesity – Oral evidence Committee Food, Diet and Obesity Committee Inquiry Food, Diet and Obesity At 2:15pm: Oral evidence Inquiry Food, Diet and Obesity Prof Carlos Monteiro Professor of…
Ireland called on to co-sponsor a Resolution on Digital Marketing
Senator Pauline Oreilly calls on Ireland to co-sponsor Brazil on a WHA Resolution on Digital Marketing. 21st March 2024 https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/oireachtas-tv/seanad-eireann-live/ Fantastic speech by Senator Pauline Oreilly just now in the Seanad Éireann. * Minister Niall Collins, responded for Government…
2023: SACN report on diets of young children
Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years find formulas contribute 50% of free sugars intake in consumers Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). July 2023. SACN’s webpage Conclusion on Drinks Evidence from DNSIYC and NDNS indicated that: formula milks…
UK Infant feeding Survey Update
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that following an extensive period of development the Infant Feeding Survey 2023 (IFS) for England will begin in mid-October. This will be the first IFS since the survey was last…
Summer update – WBW – Global Congress
s World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) – Making a Difference for Working Parents REGISTER HERE for the Global Breastfeeding Coalition Webinar at 2pm Geneva time. The right to maternity protection for mothers who work outside the home is the theme of this…
EU Baby food laws retained for the UK
NEWS: Retained EU Law (REUL) Act published Thanks to the Baby Feeding law Group for alerting us to this news Following months of deliberation and considerations from the Houses of Lords and Commons respectively, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform)…
Comments on UK DRAFT DHSC Guidance Notes
FINAL GUIDELINES https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infant-and-follow-on-formula-and-food-for-special-medical-purposes https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infant-and-follow-on-formula-and-food-for-special-medical-purposes/commission-delegated-regulation-eu-2016127-supplementing-regulation-eu-no-6092013-guidance DRAFT DHSC Guidance Notes on Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 (supplementing Regulation (EU) No 609/2013) 16th August 2021 The UK has held a consultation on draft guidance on Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 for…
Ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 92
Ask your MP to support the Code and Resolutions in full FIND YOUR MP EDM (Early Day Motion) 92: tabled on 24 May 2021 Thanks to long time Code supporter Alison Thewliss SNP for sponsoring this Early Day Motion following…
New UK consultations on baby foods and online marketing
Nov 2020 DRAFT PHE proposals for 2023 commercial baby food and drink guidelines. We expect another consultation on marketing and labelling soon with a deadline of January 5th 2021. _____________________________________________________________________________ New public consultation on total ban of online advertising…
Shocking gaps in emergency preparedness for Europe’s babies, new report shows
PRESS RELEASE Split, Croatia Thursday, 4th June 2020 Summary report Full report Press Release. Research article The Covid 19 pandemic has shown how important it is for countries to protect their…
Baby Feeding Law Group
The Baby Feeding Law Group https://www.bflg-uk.org/ Who we are The Baby Feeding Law Group UK was founded by Baby Milk Action in 1997 and has been working for over 20 years to strengthen UK baby feeding laws in line…
The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins and Mrs Sabina Higgins to attend screening of Tigers whistleblower film
Irish Examiner A standing ovation and rapturous applause greeted Syed Aamir Raza, as he joined the panel of experts, following a recent private screening of the emotive and powerful movie Tigers. The Last word with Matt Cooper Jen…
Media distortion of guidance for Midwives
Following the publication of new Guidance from the Royal College of Midwives there has been a flurry of media interest and some simply appalling media coverage that totally distorts the intent of the guidance. Click Here Thank heavens for Baby…
APPGIFI: Parliamentary Inquiry on the cost of infant formula
APPGIFI: Parliamentary Inquiry on the cost of infant formula http://www.infantfeedingappg.uk/appg-inquiry-infant-formula-costs/ The All Party Parliamentary Group on Infant Feeding and Inequalities has launched an inquiry on the costs of infant formula to families in the UK and the impact that…
Could your health visitor win the Julie Crawford Award 2018?
Could your Health Visitor win the 2018 Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support? Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support 2018 Nominations are now OPEN The Baby Feeding Law Group is seeking nominations for the Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support.…
Bernadette Wood acceptance speech for Julie Crawford Award 2017
The Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support for 2017 has been won by Bernadette (Bernie) Wood, a Health Visitor from Suffolk County Council’s Children’s and Young Peoples Services. She was presented the Award today on behalf of the Baby Feeding…
Nestle, Danone, Abbott and Mead Johnson fail to meet RCPCH criteria
On 28th April The Lancet published seven of the many responses to the comment by WHO staff about the new funding policy of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). The letters are all worth reading. For example, Declan O Brien says…
Could your Health Visitor win the Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support?
Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support 2017 Nominations are now OPEN The Baby Feeding Law Group is seeking nominations for the Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support. Nominations must be sent to Baby Milk Action (BFLG Secretariat) by 3rd May 2017…
UK and US responses to Fed is Best website
Fed is Best https://fedisbest.org/about/ A new organisation has sprung up called Fed is Best. It is being organised by Dr Christine Del Castillo – Hegyi – a physician based in the USA. Fed is Best seems to be attacking the BFHI 10 Steps…
Alison Thewliss’s Bill seeks to crack down on formula promotion
21st February 2017 Here is the LINK to Alison Thewliss’ Bill that has just been posted on the Parliament website http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/feedingproductsforbabiesandchildrenadvertisingandpromotion.html On Alison’s website here is a great summary of what the new proposed Agency plans to do and the results of the consultation.…
Health professional associations and industry funding
LancetRCPCH Following the very worrying announcement by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) of its decision to accept funding from manufacturers of breastmilk substitutes – a decision that went against the vote by RCPCH members at their…
England, NI and Wales: Improvement Notices introduced today to enforce EU formula and baby food marketing rules – companies face criminal charges for non compliance
Baby Milk Action press release 20 July 2016 The UK Government and devolved authorities have today introduced Statutory Instruments updating formula and baby food marketing laws in line with new EU regulations. Although the Regulations fall far short of international minimum standards repeatedly…
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,…
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…
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…
IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE EU LEGISLATION
IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT CHILD HEALTH CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE DEBATE that starts around 1 hour and 53 minutes after the start: On Monday 21st December there was an important debate in the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health…
Green Party opposition to the Delegated Acts
On 16th October the Green Party registered an objection to the three Delegated Acts. Commission Delegated Regulations of 25.9.2015 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the EP and Council as regards infant formula, follow-on formula, c(2015) 6478, food for special medical…
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…
Health visitors caught up in Nestle v Danone formula marketing war
The Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA) is a member of the Baby Feeding Law Group (BFLG), which works for the baby feeding industry to be better regulated. It is worrying to see it being targeted by Nestlé and…
The Commission’s weak proposals on baby food and formula acts are out
The EU Commission’s proposals for new legislation covering the composition and marketing of baby foods and formulas have been sent to the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) I will post comments and a guide very soon…
Debate on Breastfeeding in the House of Commons, Westminster Hall
See Alison Thewliss Scottish National Party, MP for Glasgow Central (above) leading the debate in the debate on Breastfeeding that took place yesterday – 24th June 2015 WEBCAST (the final item for the day, starts at 4:30 PM) HANSARD (Column 319WH) Do…
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…
new proposals for EU Regulations on Formulas and baby foods
IBFAN BFLG comment 27.2.15.2 IBFAN and the Baby Feeding Law Group is mounting a campaign to change some new Commission Proposals for revised regulations on formulas and baby foods. 4 Working Documents are being discussed this week in Brussels. IBFAN believes…
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…