A joint study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) published on February 22 2022 details how the $55 billion baby formula industry deceives parents with “false and misleading messages about formula feeding”. 

The study, which surveyed 8,500 parents and pregnant women, and 300 health workers in cities across the world, found that nearly half of new mothers in Nigeria, two in five Moroccan mothers and more than a fifth of South African mothers have been advised by a health professional to feed their babies a formula product instead of relying on natural breastfeeding practices. 

This targeted misinformation spreads myths about breastfeeding, even though breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, followed by exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond, offers a powerful line of defence against all forms of child malnutrition.“

This report shows very clearly that formula milk marketing remains unacceptably pervasive, misleading and aggressive,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.“

We need robust policies, legislation and investments in breastfeeding to ensure that women are protected from unethical marketing practices - and have access to the information and support they need to raise their families”, said Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell.

The organisations called for regulations on exploitative marketing to be “urgently adopted and enforced to protect children’s health.”

Industry marketing techniques include influencing health workers’ training and recommendations, unregulated and invasive online targeting as well as sponsored advice networks and helplines.