New baby milk rules condemned

Campaign groups have criticised the Government for falling short of a blanket ban on all infant milk formula advertising.

New rules will prohibit powdered milk for newborns being advertised to parents in the UK. The Department of Health restricted but did not ban advertising of milk-substitute products for infants over six months, known as follow-on formula.

But the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Save the Children said the changes should have gone further. Campaign group Baby Milk Action accused the Government of bowing to industry pressure by not banning follow-on formula advertising.

Powdered milk for babies under six months old, known as infant formula, will only be advertised in trade-to-trade magazines and scientific journals after the new rules come into force in January.

Infant formula advertising is already heavily restricted. The new regulations close a loophole which currently allows infant formula to be publicised in health service leaflets.

In addition, television and print adverts for follow-on formula will be tightened up so they do not lead parents to the brands' infant formula products nor risk confusing parents about the differences between the two.

Firms will be banned from making their brand the focus of follow-on formula adverts and from including pictures or text comparing the products to breast milk. The adverts must not feature babies which appear to be under the age of six months nor include text or images relating to pregnancy.

Product labelling will also be tightened up to show that follow-on formula is only suitable for infants aged six months upwards. Only a small number of approved health and nutrition claims will be permitted on formula milk labels.

The new UK rules follow an EU directive, published last year, which was prompted by revised content rules for all types of infant formula in light of new scientific advice.

That directive states that follow-on formula should only be used by infants from six months of age, not four months.

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