NEW paper: “Formula labelling in the UK and (non-)compliance with the Code, UK legislation and guidance”

On 31 January 2025, the Maternal and Child Nutrition journal published our original research paper, from a study conducted by Maiko Kamata, as part of a Master’s degree through the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with support of First Steps Nutrition Trust. This is the first study of UK infant and follow‐on formula labels which evaluates compliance with both UK legislation and Guidance Notes designed to interpret the law, as well as the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions (‘the Code’). This research provides compelling evidence of how commercial milk formula manufacturers in the UK violate national legislation and guidance, and the Code. A robust process was followed to assess all infant formula (IF) and follow-on formula (FoF) labels of products available for sale in the UK in 2022, using labelling checklists to systematically assess compliance and then compare compliance scores between the regulatory frameworks, formula types and brands.

There was low overall compliance among the 57 labels assessed (32 IF and 25 FoF): 50% complied with UK law, 32% with Guidance Notes and 40% with the Code. None of the labels complied with provisions prohibiting the provision of text and photographs that idealise formula milk and/or discourage breastfeeding. All labels contained nutrition and health claims. All labels (and therefore all manufacturers and all brands) used cross‐promotion between formula types, with similar text, images and/or colours on labels of infant and follow‐on formula milk (as shown in the photos). This provides clear evidence of inappropriate marketing across all IF and FoF products in the UK. Our main recommendations are that existing legislation has to be better enforced, and that current legislation needs to be strengthened to be in line with the Code. These measures would protect breastfeeding AND support safer, appropriate formula feeding AND lessen commercial influence on infant feeding practices.