New video: What are the solutions to the infant formula affordability crisis?
On 27 January 2026, Prof Amy Brown at Swansea University and colleagues shared a 3-minute summary video on YouTube summarising key messages from research looking at the impacts of and solutions to the infant formula milk affordability crisis. The research included interviews with 281 parents who were struggling to afford formula, and 158 professionals and volunteers who support parents. The research was led by Swansea University, together with partners at Cardiff Metropolitan University, The University of Hertfordshire, the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, the Independent Food Aid Network, Leicester Mammas, and us at First Steps Nutrition Trust.
Findings from the research included that the cost of infant formula was having a devastating impact upon families, and parents reported feeling distressed, anxious, and heartbroken that it was so challenging to feed their infants. Poor affordability was found to exacerbate postnatal depression. Parents reported going into debt, skipping meals and not heating their homes to pay for infant formula. Some also reported unsafe practices such as watering down feeds and looking to Facebook marketplace to purchase infant formula, knowing that this could put their baby at risk, but not seeing an alternative. Many parents spoke of being angry at the high costs, much of which goes to marketing and profits of the infant formula companies. Solutions such as an emergency pathway led by councils or the NHS were suggested, however many parents just wanted formula to be cheaper. Any solution that didn’t reduce the cost allows companies to continue making high profits and passes the problem to the taxpayer.
The researchers made the following key recommendations to the Government:
Prioritise acting on the Competitions and Markets Authority’s 11 recommendations from their infant and follow-on formula market study
Regulate the price of infant formula
Ensure better support for breastfeeding
As secretariat for the Baby Feeding Law Group, we fully support these recommendations. Marketing and pricing are intertwined. Formula marketing needs to be reined in through strengthening UK laws in line with the Code and resolutions and enforcing them properly. Infant formula prices need to be reduced sustainably and in the long term through Government regulation. These actions will contribute to giving all babies the best start in life. The full research paper is currently under review and will be published shortly.