On 31 January 2024, the BFLG-UK sent a letter to Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, MP, the Shadow Spokesperson for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, to request a meeting to discuss current infant formula sale and promotion legislation in light of the submission made to “review the impact of infant formula sale and promotion legislation on consumers” as an amendment to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill.
On 31 January 2024, the BFLG-UK sent a letter to Preet Gill, MP, the Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, outlining the need to take action to prevent inappropriate marketing of infant formula and other breastmilk substitutes.
On 24 January 2024, the BFLG-UK sent a letter to Kemi Badenoch, MP, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, requesting that an amendment to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill to allow for price discounts to infant formula should not be made and why the UK laws should not be weakened.
On 5 December 2023, the BFLG-UK sent a second letter to Wes Streeting, MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, drawing his attention to the publication of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) report about price inflation and competition in food and grocery manufacturing and supply (including infant formula) and requesting a meeting to discuss this.
On 9 November 2023, the BFLG-UK sent a letter to Wes Streeting, MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, outlining concerns regarding Labour’s pledge for reform on baby formula and requesting a meeting to discuss this.
On 28 February 2023, the BFLG-UK sent letters to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Health and Social Care Ministers outlining the need to retain key food and nutrition laws with respect to the Retained EU Law Bill.
Letter from BFLG UK to University of Leeds School of Healthcare Research Committee on 30 September 2022 regarding concerns about conflicts of interest with regard to research project (entitled “Developing Nipple Care Pathway Guidelines to Support New Breastfeeding Mothers”) funded by Lansinoh Laboratories Inc.
Sponsorship of the March 2022 British Journal of Midwifery (BMJ) conference by breastmilk substitute manufacturers Danone Nutricia and Kendamil Nutricare, undermining the Code and the Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative of which approximately half of maternity and health visiting services are accredited with: BFLG-UK Letter to BJM re. breastmilk substitute sponsorship of their conference.
Partnership with a breastmilk substitute manufacture endorses their products and facilitates their Code violating marketing, thereby negatively impacting on the diets of your youngest supporters, as well as supporting an industry that causes preventable environmental damage: Letter to the National Trust to urge them to reconsider partnership with HiPP Organic. 20th May, 2021. Supporting documents: HiPP: why do they want to be your partner? Evidence of violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent resolutions.
RESPONSE: Email received from the National Trust, 27th May, 2021 in response to above letter, and BFLG response to that email, 8th June,2021.
Businesses trading in human milk/human milk products need to be better regulated in order to protect mothers and babies from exploitation and potential harms: Letter to DHSC to ask for urgent clarification about regulation of the commercial human milk market, 18th May, 2021.
NICE Guideline #93 on ‘Donor milk banks: service operation’ needs updating to protect mothers and babies from exploitation by businesses trading in human milk/human milk products: Letter to NICE to request the guidelines are updated and that action is taken to stop businesses inappropriately claiming adherence to these guidelines. 13th May, 2021.
Sponsorship of meetings of health care professionals by the BMS industry violates WHA resolution 69.9 of the Code: Letter to a speaker at a Reckitt Benckiser sponsored webinar “CMA Update: Active Allergy Management in Primary Care" on 18th May 2021 to urge them to reconsider participating, 13th May, 2021.
BSNA launch of ‘parent and baby friendly infant feeding’ report, inappropriately seeking to influence government policy and HCP practice: Letter to David Stewart MSP, asking him to reconsider chairing the BSNA event. 11th March 2021.
Sponsorship of meetings of health care professionals by the BMS industry violates WHA resolution 69.9 of the Code: Letter to a speaker at a Danone Nutricia sponsored session at the British Journal of Midwifery Virtual Conference streaming live on Tuesday 24th – Wednesday 25th March, to urge them to reconsider participating. February 18th, 2021.
Sponsorship of meetings of health care professionals by the BMS industry violates WHA resolution 69.9 of the Code: Letters to 6 speakers at a Reckitt Benckiser sponsored virtual ‘Paediatric Food Allergy Symposium’ on 27th February 2021 to urge them to reconsider participating. February 4th, 2021.
Commentary misrepresents rationale for Unicef-UK Baby Friendly guidance on infant formula at food banks; carers of babies should be referred to statutory services for sustainable professional support: Letter to the New Scientist about an article on infant formula in food banks. February 1st, 2021.
Article breaks UK regulations by advertising infant formula: Letter to the Grocer about an article covering a formula range launch. October 10th, 2020.
Blog post misinforms parents about the risks of formula feeding and benefits of breastfeeding, and breaks UK regulations by advertising infant formula: Letter to Kendamil about their blog post for parents. September 16th, 2020.
Partnership with the BMS industry will undermine charity aim to give babies and young children the best start in life: Letter to Family Action about their partnership with Cow & Gate. September 3rd, 2020.
Sponsorship of meetings of health care professionals by the BMS industry violates WHA resolution 69.9 of the Code: Letters to 5 speakers at a ‘Nutricia Paediatric Food Allergy Symposium’ at the ICC in Birmingham on the 15th May 2020 to urge them to reconsider attending. March 9th, 2020.
Why we need the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and all subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions incorporated into UK Law:
Letters to 12 Lords and Ladies who participated in a debate on the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit, and raised questions about enforcement of the Code in developing countries. January 28th, 2020.
Adverts for specialised infant formula should not inform clinical decisions:
https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6285/rapid-responses
Rapid response to a letter to the BMJ by Beattie et al ‘When does a breast milk substitute become an essential medicine?’ November 25th, 2019.
Protecting breastfeeding is also an environmental imperative: https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l5646/rr-0
Rapid response to the BMJ editorial by Joffe et al ‘Support for breastfeeding is an environmental imperative’ October 3rd, 2019.
Sponsorship of meetings of health care professionals by the BMS industry violates WHA resolution 69.9. of the Code:
Letters to 11 speakers at a ‘Nutricia Paediatric Expert Meeting’ at the RCPCH on 6th and 7th November 2019 to urge them to reconsider attending. September 10th, 2019.
Stronger legislation is needed to support breastfeeding women in the workplace and to decrease the promotion of breastmilk substitutes:
Letter to Kerry McCarthy MP to thank her for her questions of to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to better protecting breastfeeding. September 12th, 2019.
Query regarding the funding of the Infant and Toddler Forum as it transitions to become a CIC:
Letter to Steve McCabe MP (chair of the Fit and Healthy Childhood APPG) (cc Jon Ashworth MP and Sharon Hodgson MP) as the host of a planned ITF reception, to highlight that as a CIC ITF will most likely still be Nutricia-Danone funded and ask him to reconsider his support for the event. 27th September, 2019.
