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…
Tesco/Danone ends its High Street milk nurses
STOP Press STOP PRESS: Following the criticism Tesco drops its Danone sponsored scheme. Following criticism from First Steps Nutrition Trust, Baby Feeding Law Group and Baby Milk Action, the supermarket giant Tesco has abandoned its plans to roll out a scheme in…
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…
UK news – FSNT reports on toddler milks
Don’t forget to sign the petition demanding Nestle removes free sugars and sweeteners from baby foods. https://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/43020 The toddler milks with more sugar than a chocolate milkshake – which are putting a THIRD of tots at risk of obesity and…
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…
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…
First Steps Nutrition April Newsletter
First Steps Nutrition Trust is a small independent UK charity providing evidence-based information and resources to health workers about good nutrition from pre-conception to 5 years. View this email in your browser April 2024 Image by wirestock on Freepik Welcome…
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…
EU bans misleading and unproven ‘greenwashing’ terms
EU agrees directive banning misleading use of environmental claims on many products Terms such as ‘environmentally friendly’ and ‘biodegradable’ to be banned unless proved by an authority Kevin O’Sullivan Wed Jan 17 2024 – 14:04 https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/2024/01/17/eu-agrees-directive-banning-misleading-use-of-environmental-claims-on-many-products/ An EU directive targeting…
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…
Baby Milk Action comments on UK trade strategy.
UK accession to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Inquiry Following the announcement of the UK’s accession on 16 July, the UK International Agreements Committee is reactivating its inquiry into CPTPP and is gathering new evidence, regarding the…
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)…
UK Parliament debate on Lancet Breastfeeding series
April 2023 Thanks to Barbara Crowther for telling us that the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a case of Kendamil marketing which breached the code and conflated infant formula and follow on milks, as well as making inappropriate health…
Lancet Breastfeeding Series: ‘Underhand’ formula milk ads stop millions from breastfeeding, experts say
LANCET BREASTFEEDING SERIES 2023 Global launch event: The Series will be launched at a hybrid event in London at 12:30-14:00 UK time on Wednesday 8th February, co-hosted by The Lancet, WHO and Children in All Policies. More information is available here and it will also…
Industry paediatricians push partnerships
European Parliament invitation. Breastfeeding promotion and public-private partnership for infant nutrition – are they compatible? 6 September 2022, 14:30 to 16:0o. European Parliament. Prof Berthold Koletzko and Dr. Peter Liese, Member of the European Parliament, in cooperation with the European Academy…
WHO on World Breastfeeding Week: Foods for infants and young children: a matter of concern?
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/03-08-2022-foods-for-infants-and-young-children–a-matter-of-concern Foods for infants and young children: a matter of concern? 3 August 2022 News release World Breastfeeding Week, held on 1–7 August each year, sparks discussions across the WHO European Region around the growing international concern about infant…
Why formula donations can be a risk – examples from Ukraine and Myanmar
Formula distribution in Myanmar: Here is a Facebook page shows free distribution of Nature One formula (follow-up) in Myanmar. The actress Khine Hnin Wai who runs a charity orphanage (who also appears to be the brand ambassador), says in the video that…
WHO Model law for the European Region
ENDING INAPPROPRIATE MARKETING OF BREAST-MILK SUBSTITUTES AND FOODS FOR INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN PDF The WHO European Region: protecting the most vulnerable Coinciding with the launch of the new WHO–UNICEF global report: “How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions…
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…
Boris Johnson, ‘dead bodies’ and selective amnesia on the EU
Guardian Letters Tue 27 Apr 2021 17.53 BST Tory sleaze and Boris Johnson’s careless words and deeds Les Bright, Denis MacShane, Martyn Taylor, David Wall, Patti Rundall and David Huggon respond to an article by Alan Finlayson and the latest…
The Code and other safeguards threatened by UN Voluntary Guidelines on Food
The Code and other safeguards threatened by corporate friendly Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition. 2021 The Plenary session of the UN Committee on Word Food Security (CFS47) ended on the 11th February, after several weeks of intense…
News Update: Vaccines and breastfeeding
New WHO Guidance: Interim recommendations for use of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2, under Emergency Use Listing and a direct quote. SAGE Recommendations:https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-vaccines-SAGE_recommendation-BNT162b2-2021.1 “Lactating women Breastfeeding offers substantial health benefits to lactating women and their breastfed children. Vaccine efficacy is expected…
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…
Health and nutrition claims for infant formula are poorly substantiated and potentially harmful
Guidance for the Conduct and Reporting of Clinical Trials of Breast Milk Substitutes Another important paper has been published in JAMA using the output from a global Delphi project which aims to protect breastfeeding when clinical trials of BMS are…
Ask your MP to protect breastfeeding, families in crisis and children in working poverty
The Coronavirus crisis is throwing up enormous problems for so many people and its hard to see where, when or how this nightmare will end. You can help by contacting your MP to make sure the following safeguards are in…
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…
APPG on Infant Feeding & inequalities: US and UK Trade talks
Reminder: today’s All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meeting on Infant Feeding & Inequalities Patti Rundall’s presentation APPGRundall 2020 ‘US–UK trade talks –the potential impact on food standards Tuesday 10 March, from 1-3pm. Committee Room 18 The agenda for can…
Petition on baby food contamination
People can support this call by signing an email action in French or German. Laboratory Tests: Suspected Carcinogenic Mineral Oil Residues in Baby Milk Foodwatch News24.10.2019 https://www.foodwatch.org/en/news/2019/foodwatch-laboratory-tests-suspected-carcinogenic-mineral-oil-residues-in-baby-milk/ Mineral oil in foods Tests have found baby milk products contaminated with harmful…
Petition to Stop Nestle joining Swiss Water agency
“Nestlé’s exploitation of water is just one of the many examples of the risk this corporation poses to human and planetary health. The subject of a continuing 4-decade boycott for its contribution to the family suffering and lives lost by…
Research on formulas
Prev Med. 2018 Apr;109:11-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.01.009. Epub 2018 Jan 12. Toddler drinks, formulas, and milks: Labeling practices and policy implications. Pomeranz JL1, Romo Palafox MJ2, Harris JL2. Author information 1 College of Global Public Health, New York University, NY, New…
EU Council conclusions on Childhood Overweight and Obesity
EU Council conclusions on Childhood Overweight and Obesity CLICK HERE http://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/13794 EU Council conclusions regarding actions that can be take to halt the rise in Childhood Overweight and Obesity, adopted by the Council on 15 and 16 June 2017. Here are a…
TIGERS UK SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Here are the upcoming screenings: 29th July 2019, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray Co Wicklow 4th August, Sunday, 13.00.Prince Charles, London Leicester Square, TICKETS 4th August, Sunday, 5pm, The Loft Cinema, Hereford. TICKETS 12th August, The Curzon, 7.30, Clevedon 11th…
NGOs leave EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity & Health
Platform pages UD46.2014.sm-4 NGOs leave EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity & Health Stop Press: Page 71 of the revised European Union Health Policy Book, published by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. ‘’…The Platform lost momentum when…
Why ‘No Deal’ would be a disaster for human health
Why ‘No Deal’ would be a disaster for human health While EU Legislation on baby food marketing fails to meet WHO marketing requirements on several important areas (1) in terms of food safety and Human Rights, EU laws are some…
Public Health England finds Snacks for babies contain ‘unacceptable’ amounts of sugar
Important new report published by Public Health England Foods and drinks aimed at infants and young children: evidence and opportunities for action Foods_and_drinks_aimed_at_infants_and_young_children_June_2019 In January 2016 the European Parliament – led by the Greens – vote for big reductions in…
EFSA’s faulty consultation on the age of introduction of baby foods closes.
Stop press: I will be attending the Open Plenary of the Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens on 3 July 2019 from 9 am to 3.30 pm where the draft opinion and the technical report addressing the comments…
RCPCH and BMJ end infant formula sponsorship
February 2019. Calling time on formula milk adverts BMJ 2019; 364 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l1200 (Published 18 March 2019) Cite this as: BMJ 2019;364:l1200 RCPCH statement on relationship with formula milk companies 31.1.2019: RCPCH Decision to suspend https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/rcpch-statement-future-funding-agreements-formula-milk-companies At the…
WHO finds Breastfeeding reduces child obesity risk by up to 25%
Breastfeeding reduces child obesity risk by up to 25% The World Health Organisation says marketing claims formula is as good for babies as breast milk are misleading Obesity Facts: Association between Characteristics at Birth, Breastfeeding and Obesity in 22 Countries:…
The Great Formula Milk Scandal: Channel 4 Dispatches 8pm Monday 18th March
We were consulted but haven’t seen this programme yet. It’s a follow on from Breastfeeding Uncovered – broadcast on the 30th July last year. It should be worth watching. Here is the description by the programme makers: “New mum Kate…
EAT-Lancet Commission’s report on sustainable health and planetary boundaries
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/unhealthy-diet-bigger-killer-than-tobacco/articleshow/68759153.cms https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/science/diet-vegetables.html I attended the debate on the EAT-Lancet Commission’s report on sustainable health and planetary boundaries on 20th February 2019. The report recommends radical changes to a low meat/high veg diet and more sustainable, extensive farming…
Why ‘No Deal’ would be a disaster for human health.
Baby Milk Action supporters will be aware that EU Legislation on baby food marketing fails to meet WHO marketing requirements However in terms of food safety and Human Rights, EU laws are some of the world’s strongest and at Codex…
Tackling Conflicts of Interest and protecting Breastfeeding at the Party Conferences
Congratulations Barrie Margetts on delivering a great platform address, at Labour Party Conference 2018, speaking passionately on the ‘tackling inequalities debate’. Posted by Joe Dukes on Wednesday, 26 September 2018 Professor Barrie Margetts, Southampton Test CLP, making a great intervention…
Baby Milk promotions in supermarkets
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/baby-milk-promotions-major-supermarkets-13176156.amp Mirror. 1.9.18 Baby milk promotions at major supermarkets could be ILLEGAL as shops ignore laws designed to encourage breastfeeding EXCLUSIVE: Campaigners say potentially illegal deals and displays are reported every week with ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Boots, Tesco and Superdrug…
More media coverage following President Trump’s tweet.
The media coverage following the New York Times exposé continues with over 600 online editorial articles and about 900 social media posts. Below are just some of the recent articles and programs including one from 2015 that gives an insight…