Four years of #FormulaIsFood and Feed are still frustrated!
For the last four years we’ve been campaigning to maximise access to infant formula for formula fed babies in food poverty. We wish we could say that when people realised babies were going hungry in the UK, they immediately sprang into action to remove the barriers in the way of filling wee bellies, but unfortunately, as we approach the fourth anniversary of the APPGIFI inquiry publication, the situation is worsening. Here we briefly summarise the last four years and suggest what we can do today to support families in need.
#FormulaIsFood
The APPGIFI inquiry into costs of infant formula in 2018 made the concerning observation that families who struggle to afford formula are forced into unsafe infant feeding practices such as watering down formula, early weaning, skipping meals and feeding unsuitable milks to hungry infants across the UK. At the time, we were shocked to discover that UNICEF UK recommended in 2014 that food and baby banks do not provide formula fed infants within their services. Indeed, just 6 months after the publication of the APPGIFI report, in May 2019, UNICEF UK updated their policy but reiterated their advice not to directly provide formula for hungry babies.
Despite rising poverty in the UK, UNICEF UK’s advice, updated in November 2020, remains that
“food banks do not accept donations of infant formula or distribute infant formula for babies”.
UNICEF recommend families are signposted to Local Authorities for formula provision, and advised of benefits and other support payments that they can apply forth fund the cost ion formula. Our 2020 review of formula access pathways found that not all Local Authorities have a formula provision pathway, and the majority of Authorities who do rely on referral back to food and baby banks! Furthermore, many families in need do not meet the eligibility requirements for benefits or emergency payments.
Feed support the immediate, direct provision of first infant formula (stage 1) to families need, alongside signposting to further services where required.
Despite rising concern for infant food insecurity in the UK, the Trussell Trust (the UK’s biggest food bank network) have chosen to voluntarily support the UNICEF UK policy in their own foodbank network. We reached out to Trussell in 2019 and worked with them to develop a new policy, that would enable Trussell Trust food banks across the UK to safely provide infant formula for formula fed babies living in food poverty while ensuring families are signposted toothed services for long term support where required. Sadly, despite the policy being signed off by their leadership ready for inclusion in their operating manual, Trussell Trust pulled the new formula provision policy at the 11th hour.
In April 2022, Trussell Trust published their 2020-2021 figures showing that over 830,000 food parcels were provided to children. The number of food parcels provided has almost doubled since APPGIFI’s concerning findings back in 2018.
Now, heading towards one of the worst Winters in a generation, the huge rise in the cost of living and an economic crisis, the situation we find ourselves in is rapidly worsening, with more families struggling to put food on the table than ever. In a depressing case of deja vu, in October 2022, Little Village reported on families watering down formula almost 4 years to the day after APPGIFI published the same findings.
Our work with third sector organisations, including Glasgow Baby Foodbank, the findings of our comprehensive review of formula access pathways, and the evidence gathered in our inquiry into the role of food and baby banks in providing formula, have brought into stark reality the detrimental effects of policies that blocking access to infant formula for formula fed babies living in food poverty.
Our #FormulaIsFood campaign aims to maximise access routes to infant formula for formula fed babies living in food poverty, alongside ensuring families get the support they need. In early October 2022, we presented our research to the Poverty and Inequalities Commission in Scotland and suggested a cross-sectoral, multi-level approach to tackling infant food insecurity. in the immediate term:
We call upon UNICEF UK to support safe and dignified direct formula provision from charitable food giving organisations.
We urge organisations like the Trussell Trust not to adhere to voluntary guidelines that restrict access to formula, as our evidence shows they are negatively impacting families in need.
We must consider alternatives to charitable food giving, such as an emergency pharmacy formula provision scheme.
We call on Local authorities across Scotland and the rest of the UK to develop a cohesive, country wide emergency formula provision scheme.
Meanwhile, we must work on medium to long term strategies aimed at eradicating food charity. Our work has shown that it is possible to provide formula for formula fed babies safely, and with dignity. Every baby deserves the Right to Food.
