Metro: Costly, hidden away and forbidden in food banks: The baby formula crisis that doesn’t add up

Feed were delighted to work with freelance journalist, Kat Romero, who published this fantastic piece in the Metro. Detailing the restrictions that current guidelines place on families who are struggling financially, Kat questioned whether such policies, seemingly put into place to help families, were actually more of a hindrance. Speaking to some Mums who have been affected by the policies, the piece really hits the nail on the head.

Feed’s Erin described to Kat how the strict policies are negatively impacting the wrong people:

‘The law was aimed at tackling the blatant profiteering and coercive marketing of formula to new mums, but as an unintended consequence, families who are struggling financially are hit in the pocket as the companies’ prices and profits continue to rise.

Katherine O’Brien from BPAS added:

’Im sure this government policy was introduced with the best of intentions, as well as UNICEF’s guidelines, but we’ve got to ask ourselves if it’s doing what it set out to do?’ she says. ‘Because the formula feeding companies are making record profits and the number of women breastfeeding does not seem to have increased. In fact, the majority of babies in the UK are formula fed.

‘We’ve seen a higher rate of formula feeding in the most financially deprived areas. So this policy isn’t deterring people but instead, hitting them financially.

After working on the piece with Kat, we felt that together we needed to take action to try and help families affected by these impractical and unclear guidelines. The result was our joint Formula for Change campaign, launched in July 2023 which is caling on the government to clarify the law and support retailers to tke steps in maximising access to formula. Please support us by signing and sharing our petition.