There is a report of a Nestlé representative allegedly out of a film festival the company sponsored in Nantucket during the screening of the film Flow, from the production company of Adam Yauch, a member of the band the Beastie Boys. According to the report on the website of the magazine Radar, the Nestlé rep. told an audience member the film was 'one-sided'. See:
http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/06/nestl-adam-yauch-flow.php
I have left the following comment:
I've not seen Flow, but I know all about what Nestlé means by 'balanced' having seen the untrue comments it makes about its baby food marketing.
On water I investigated Nestlé's water bottling activities in São Lourenço, Brazil. Nestlé commissioned an 'independent' report from Bureau Veritas which said that Nestlé had complied with all legislation. I spoke with the auditors, who had also visited São Lourenço. They seemed unaware of the fact that the Public Prosecutor had taken Nestlé to court after receiving a petition from thousands of citizens of the town that relied on tourism to the water park, the springs in which were deteriorating due to the volumes of water Nestlé was pumping.
Bureau Veritas responded to me: "“our work did not constitute a legal audit as such, nor did it include a review of the on-going civil action".
Eventually the case was settled out of court, with Nestlé agreeing to stop pumping and compensate the town by reforming the park or pay daily fines.
So victory to the people of the town in the end. Sadly it took ten years.
See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press2march06.html
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Acting locally has a global impact
Why turn out to the demonstrate or leaflet against Nestlé malpractice? You meet other campaign supporters, you have fun, you learn about the latest with the campaign, you inform people who see the demonstration or take a leaflet and you have an impact that echoes around the world. All of which combines to keep the boycott in the public eye, keeps the pressure on Nestlé, helps to force changes in marketing policies and practices and encourages governments to stand up to company pressure and introduce enforced legislation.
Here is an example of this working in practice with an article on a South Korean news website tody. If you visit this site you will see a picture from the demonstration at Nestlé (UK) HQ last year:
http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000934335&PAGE_CD
It is in Korean and is about the impact of western governments and corporations on food policy and apparently has already received tens of thousands of visits on its first day.
So help spread the word around the world by acting locally!
We are currently planning for International Nestlé-Free Week which in 2008 will be around the 4 October. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/nestle-free-week-october-08.html
Here is an example of this working in practice with an article on a South Korean news website tody. If you visit this site you will see a picture from the demonstration at Nestlé (UK) HQ last year:
http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000934335&PAGE_CD
It is in Korean and is about the impact of western governments and corporations on food policy and apparently has already received tens of thousands of visits on its first day.
So help spread the word around the world by acting locally!
We are currently planning for International Nestlé-Free Week which in 2008 will be around the 4 October. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/nestle-free-week-october-08.html
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Parenting websites and talk boards
If you run or use a parenting website or talk board and want to recommend it to others, leave the information in a comment on this blog entry.
And if you find anything that concerns you about the site, also leave a comment.
Our website link page includes links to UK mother support group, international agencies and some other resources that we think people might find useful.
However, we do not link to commercial sites and do not link to other parenting websites, talk boards of individual blogs. This is because we do not have the staff time to monitor the sites to confirm that they do not contain advertising or sponsorship from companies manufacturing products within the scope of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Nor do we want to recommend one forum over another as a source of information.
Instead our link page points to this blog entry and we leave it to you to recommend or otherwise these type of sites. Any commercial ones will be deleted.
And if you find anything that concerns you about the site, also leave a comment.
Our website link page includes links to UK mother support group, international agencies and some other resources that we think people might find useful.
However, we do not link to commercial sites and do not link to other parenting websites, talk boards of individual blogs. This is because we do not have the staff time to monitor the sites to confirm that they do not contain advertising or sponsorship from companies manufacturing products within the scope of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Nor do we want to recommend one forum over another as a source of information.
Instead our link page points to this blog entry and we leave it to you to recommend or otherwise these type of sites. Any commercial ones will be deleted.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Planning for Nestle free week - 4 October 2008
Nestlé-Free Week will take place around the 4 October 2008.
This marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the current boycott by Action for Corporate Accountability in the United States over the companies aggressive marketing of baby foods. Babies who are not breastfed are more likely to become sick and, in conditions of poverty, to die.
According to UNICEF: "Improved breastfeeding practices and reduction of artificial feeding could save an estimated 1.5 million children a year."
Nestlé failed to live up to an agreement reached in 1984 which ended an earlier boycott. Nestlé had promised to abide by the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981 as a result of the first boycott.
Baby Milk Action launched the boycott in the UK in 1989, but will also be marking the 20th anniversary in the first week of October 2008. Groups in 20 countries have launched boycott and it has supporters in many other countries. An independent survey in 2005 found Nestlé to be one of the four most boycotted companies on the planet, something Nestlé finally admitted in 2007. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press6july07.html
Mike Brady, Campaigns and Networking Coordinator at Baby Milk Action, said:
"The boycott has forced some important policy changes on Nestlé and we are able to stop specific cases of aggressive baby milk marketing thanks to public pressure, but the latest monitoring shows that Nestlé still thinks it can get away with breaking the World Health Assembly rules in many countries. In parallel to the boycott we have had a lot of success in bringing the Assembly measures into national laws and where these are enforced malpractice is stopped, showing companies can comply when compelled to do so. The boycott keeps this issue in the public eye and the pressure on Nestlé, the worst of the baby food companies."
Monitoring conducted by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) profiles the main baby food companies. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications01.html#btr07
Nestlé has consistently been found to be the worst of the baby food companies. Boycott coordinators have put a four-point plan to Nestlé aimed at saving infant lives and ultimately ending the boycott. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/boycott/boyct4pointplan.html
Danone, which recently bought the NUMICO companies (Nutricia, Milupa and Cow and Gate) is becoming an increasing concern as it tries to compete with Nestlé in Asian markets. Danone told Baby Milk Action earlier this year that it is conducting a 'root and branch review' of NUMICO operations since the takeover and the situation is being monitored to see whether changes will be made without consumer pressure.
People interested in planning for local action can visit Baby Milk Action's websitew for support and resources. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/boycott/nestlefree.html
The joint statement from Nestlé and the International Nestlé Boycott Committee on the end of the first boycott on 4 October 1984 can be downloaded from:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/yqsanswered/yqanestle09.html#boycott
Coverage of the relaunch of the boycott on 4 October 1988 in the United States can be found in contemporary reports in the New Internationalist and the New York Times.
Note the US group included American Home Products (now part of Wyeth) in its boycott call. The boycott internationally has focused on Nestlé as global monitoring finds it to be the worst of the companies.
This marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the current boycott by Action for Corporate Accountability in the United States over the companies aggressive marketing of baby foods. Babies who are not breastfed are more likely to become sick and, in conditions of poverty, to die.
According to UNICEF: "Improved breastfeeding practices and reduction of artificial feeding could save an estimated 1.5 million children a year."
Nestlé failed to live up to an agreement reached in 1984 which ended an earlier boycott. Nestlé had promised to abide by the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981 as a result of the first boycott.
Baby Milk Action launched the boycott in the UK in 1989, but will also be marking the 20th anniversary in the first week of October 2008. Groups in 20 countries have launched boycott and it has supporters in many other countries. An independent survey in 2005 found Nestlé to be one of the four most boycotted companies on the planet, something Nestlé finally admitted in 2007. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press6july07.html
Mike Brady, Campaigns and Networking Coordinator at Baby Milk Action, said:
"The boycott has forced some important policy changes on Nestlé and we are able to stop specific cases of aggressive baby milk marketing thanks to public pressure, but the latest monitoring shows that Nestlé still thinks it can get away with breaking the World Health Assembly rules in many countries. In parallel to the boycott we have had a lot of success in bringing the Assembly measures into national laws and where these are enforced malpractice is stopped, showing companies can comply when compelled to do so. The boycott keeps this issue in the public eye and the pressure on Nestlé, the worst of the baby food companies."
Monitoring conducted by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) profiles the main baby food companies. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications01.html#btr07
Nestlé has consistently been found to be the worst of the baby food companies. Boycott coordinators have put a four-point plan to Nestlé aimed at saving infant lives and ultimately ending the boycott. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/boycott/boyct4pointplan.html
Danone, which recently bought the NUMICO companies (Nutricia, Milupa and Cow and Gate) is becoming an increasing concern as it tries to compete with Nestlé in Asian markets. Danone told Baby Milk Action earlier this year that it is conducting a 'root and branch review' of NUMICO operations since the takeover and the situation is being monitored to see whether changes will be made without consumer pressure.
People interested in planning for local action can visit Baby Milk Action's websitew for support and resources. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/boycott/nestlefree.html
The joint statement from Nestlé and the International Nestlé Boycott Committee on the end of the first boycott on 4 October 1984 can be downloaded from:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/yqsanswered/yqanestle09.html#boycott
Coverage of the relaunch of the boycott on 4 October 1988 in the United States can be found in contemporary reports in the New Internationalist and the New York Times.
Note the US group included American Home Products (now part of Wyeth) in its boycott call. The boycott internationally has focused on Nestlé as global monitoring finds it to be the worst of the companies.
Monday, June 23, 2008
UK Government to be quizzed by UN Committee on its failure to act on formula marketing
As part of our UK campaign we have submitted reports to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. This reviews how well governments are doing on meeting their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Governments are called every five years to report. A network of Non-Governmental Organisations in the UK has also submitted a report, to which we contributed. We also submitted our own report via our partners, the Geneva Infant Feeding Association, which has been assisting national groups over the years.
The good news is, the Committee has written to the Government on 16 June specifically asking: "Please provide further information on the measures taken to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.”
With good cause the Government should be shuffling its feet and bowing its head in embarassment.
In 2003, when the UK was last reviewed, the final report called for the UK Government to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which it had failed to do.
In 2004 the Government introduced a public health white paper saying it would work for stronger regulations at the European Union level and strengthen UK legislation following this.
However, when it comes to present evidence in September the UK has little positive to say about its implementation of the Code. The EU Directive does not include key provisions that health advocactes - and the UK Government - was calling for, such as a prohibition on the advertising of follow-on formula as required by the Code.
The new Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations that came into force this year contain many of the same loopholes as the previous version. The recommendations of health advocates and even the Government's own expert advisors were not followed.
Not only are the regulations weak, they are poorly enforced, as our recent report to Trading Standards shows. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/bflg-may-2008.html
You can download the Government's submission from February 2008 and the Committee's request for additional information at:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/crcs49.htm
It is article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child that relates to breastfeeding. I will include the relevant parts of the response below. There is much that is commendable being done in the promotion and support of breastfeeding, which we have welcomed in our own submissions. However, protection is sadly lacking, not only with implementation and enforcement of the Code and subsequent, relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions, but in the protection of a mother's right to breastfeed in public.
Ironically the report includes the following: "The Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2005 is the first of its kind in the UK, which makes it an offence to stop or prevent a person feeding milk to an infant in a public place where the infant is legally entitled to be. Scotland is one of the few countries in the world to offer such protection in national legislation."
If you read this blog last week you will be struck by the contrast between highlighting the Scottish Act and the apparent plans for lesser measures in the Single Equality Bill. While the Scottish Act protects mothers breastfeeding or formula children up to two years of age in a public place, the Government was saying last year that the Single Equality Bill would protect breastfeeding in public upto one year of age, and more recent reports suggest this will only be for babies up to 6 months of age. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/breastfeeding-in-public-six-months.html
There is even a risk that the Single Equality Bill will conflict with and undermine the Scottish Act.
The Committee has a wide range of issues to address over the course of the two-day meeting, but we will do all we can to ensure that the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding are given adequate attention.
We have no funding for this work, so if you are able you can use the donation buttons on this blog to help. If you can't make a big donation, how about the £3 button for supporting the blog. We keep it free of third-party advertising and your support is much appreciated.
A further call for the Government to implement the Code may combine with the Government's current review of the legislation (to which we are contributing information) to bring in the long-overdue protection for breastfeeding and for babies fed on formula, as many other countries have done.
Here is the key section from the report.
---extract from the UK Government's report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Promotion of breastfeeding
336. The UK Government and devolved administrations continue fully to be committed to the promotion of breastfeeding, which is accepted as the best form of nutrition for babies. The Government has adopted the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) guidance and recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding alongside the introduction of complementary feeding.
337. The UK Government has a commitment to increase support for breastfeeding as part of its strategy to reduce health inequalities. The Priorities and Planning Framework 2003-2006 set local targets to increase breastfeeding initiation rates by 2 percentage points per year, focusing particularly on disadvantaged groups. This target has been included in Local Delivery Plans to support the national target on infant mortality for the planning period to 2008.
338. The Department of Health works in partnership with NGOs and other organisations, including UNICEF, to encourage hospitals to implement Baby Friendly Initiative policies. As part of this work, a new leaflet “Off to the best start” is intended to assist health professionals in teaching parents why breastfeeding is the healthiest start. Also, for the first time the Department has launched TV and radio “Filler” advertisements which will continue throughout 2007 and beyond to raise the profile of breastfeeding in England and Wales.
339. The Department of Health support the principles of the International Code for Marketing of Breast-milk substitutes and the relevant WHO resolutions, which are reflected in the European Directive on Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations and in the UK legislation.
340. The European Directive 91/321/EEC on Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula gives individual Member States the power to go further than the Directive in terms of restricting the advertising of infant formulas. It is in this context that the Department of Health has made a commitment in the Choosing Health: making healthier choices easier to review the relevant provisions of the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (1995), with a view to further restricting the promotion of infant formula.
341. The Department of Health is currently working with Food Standards Agency to look at ways in which the promotion of infant formula milk can be further restricted, through UK Regulations. A consultation on draft Regulations is due to be issued shortly and the final national Regulations will be in force from January 2008.
342. In addition the Healthy Start scheme was rolled out across England, Wales and Scotland in 2006. It provides nutritional support to mothers and infants from low income families. The scheme also provides incentives for mothers to breastfeed as they can obtain, via vouchers, healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables, free of charge.
343. In Scotland, over half of the babies are born in UNICEF baby friendly accredited hospitals, which mean that these hospitals have implemented measures to encourage breastfeeding, as recommended by the WHO. In addition, the Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2005 is the first of its kind in the UK, which makes it an offence to stop or prevent a person feeding milk to an infant in a public place where the infant is legally entitled to be. Scotland is one of the few countries in the world to offer such protection in national legislation.
344. In Wales, currently 46% of all Welsh births take place in baby friendly hospitals. A Grant Scheme has been established to train breastfeeding peer supporters with a particular focus on young mothers. A Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme has been established to encourage businesses to support breastfeeding mothers.
345. In Northern Ireland, since the development and implementation of the Breastfeeding Strategy there have been significant improvements to breastfeeding support in many hospital and community Trusts. These include the promotion and implementation of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, Sure Start programmes involvement in breastfeeding, and the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and peer support programmes.
346. As a result of the above measures breastfeeding initiation rates have been rising across all socio-economic groupings in the UK - 78% in England, 70% in Scotland, 67% in Wales, and 63% in Northern Ireland. The highest incidences of breastfeeding were found among mothers from managerial and professional occupations, those with the highest educational levels, those aged 30 or over, and among first time mothers. The Infant Feeding Survey 2005 published recently shows that 45% of all mothers in the United Kingdom were breastfeeding exclusively at one week, while 21% were feeding exclusively at six weeks. At six months the proportion of mothers who were breastfeeding exclusively was negligible.
---extract ends
The good news is, the Committee has written to the Government on 16 June specifically asking: "Please provide further information on the measures taken to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.”
With good cause the Government should be shuffling its feet and bowing its head in embarassment.
In 2003, when the UK was last reviewed, the final report called for the UK Government to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which it had failed to do.
In 2004 the Government introduced a public health white paper saying it would work for stronger regulations at the European Union level and strengthen UK legislation following this.
However, when it comes to present evidence in September the UK has little positive to say about its implementation of the Code. The EU Directive does not include key provisions that health advocactes - and the UK Government - was calling for, such as a prohibition on the advertising of follow-on formula as required by the Code.
The new Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations that came into force this year contain many of the same loopholes as the previous version. The recommendations of health advocates and even the Government's own expert advisors were not followed.
Not only are the regulations weak, they are poorly enforced, as our recent report to Trading Standards shows. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/bflg-may-2008.html
You can download the Government's submission from February 2008 and the Committee's request for additional information at:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/crcs49.htm
It is article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child that relates to breastfeeding. I will include the relevant parts of the response below. There is much that is commendable being done in the promotion and support of breastfeeding, which we have welcomed in our own submissions. However, protection is sadly lacking, not only with implementation and enforcement of the Code and subsequent, relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions, but in the protection of a mother's right to breastfeed in public.
Ironically the report includes the following: "The Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2005 is the first of its kind in the UK, which makes it an offence to stop or prevent a person feeding milk to an infant in a public place where the infant is legally entitled to be. Scotland is one of the few countries in the world to offer such protection in national legislation."
If you read this blog last week you will be struck by the contrast between highlighting the Scottish Act and the apparent plans for lesser measures in the Single Equality Bill. While the Scottish Act protects mothers breastfeeding or formula children up to two years of age in a public place, the Government was saying last year that the Single Equality Bill would protect breastfeeding in public upto one year of age, and more recent reports suggest this will only be for babies up to 6 months of age. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/breastfeeding-in-public-six-months.html
There is even a risk that the Single Equality Bill will conflict with and undermine the Scottish Act.
The Committee has a wide range of issues to address over the course of the two-day meeting, but we will do all we can to ensure that the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding are given adequate attention.
We have no funding for this work, so if you are able you can use the donation buttons on this blog to help. If you can't make a big donation, how about the £3 button for supporting the blog. We keep it free of third-party advertising and your support is much appreciated.
A further call for the Government to implement the Code may combine with the Government's current review of the legislation (to which we are contributing information) to bring in the long-overdue protection for breastfeeding and for babies fed on formula, as many other countries have done.
Here is the key section from the report.
---extract from the UK Government's report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Promotion of breastfeeding
336. The UK Government and devolved administrations continue fully to be committed to the promotion of breastfeeding, which is accepted as the best form of nutrition for babies. The Government has adopted the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) guidance and recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding alongside the introduction of complementary feeding.
337. The UK Government has a commitment to increase support for breastfeeding as part of its strategy to reduce health inequalities. The Priorities and Planning Framework 2003-2006 set local targets to increase breastfeeding initiation rates by 2 percentage points per year, focusing particularly on disadvantaged groups. This target has been included in Local Delivery Plans to support the national target on infant mortality for the planning period to 2008.
338. The Department of Health works in partnership with NGOs and other organisations, including UNICEF, to encourage hospitals to implement Baby Friendly Initiative policies. As part of this work, a new leaflet “Off to the best start” is intended to assist health professionals in teaching parents why breastfeeding is the healthiest start. Also, for the first time the Department has launched TV and radio “Filler” advertisements which will continue throughout 2007 and beyond to raise the profile of breastfeeding in England and Wales.
339. The Department of Health support the principles of the International Code for Marketing of Breast-milk substitutes and the relevant WHO resolutions, which are reflected in the European Directive on Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations and in the UK legislation.
340. The European Directive 91/321/EEC on Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula gives individual Member States the power to go further than the Directive in terms of restricting the advertising of infant formulas. It is in this context that the Department of Health has made a commitment in the Choosing Health: making healthier choices easier to review the relevant provisions of the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (1995), with a view to further restricting the promotion of infant formula.
341. The Department of Health is currently working with Food Standards Agency to look at ways in which the promotion of infant formula milk can be further restricted, through UK Regulations. A consultation on draft Regulations is due to be issued shortly and the final national Regulations will be in force from January 2008.
342. In addition the Healthy Start scheme was rolled out across England, Wales and Scotland in 2006. It provides nutritional support to mothers and infants from low income families. The scheme also provides incentives for mothers to breastfeed as they can obtain, via vouchers, healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables, free of charge.
343. In Scotland, over half of the babies are born in UNICEF baby friendly accredited hospitals, which mean that these hospitals have implemented measures to encourage breastfeeding, as recommended by the WHO. In addition, the Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2005 is the first of its kind in the UK, which makes it an offence to stop or prevent a person feeding milk to an infant in a public place where the infant is legally entitled to be. Scotland is one of the few countries in the world to offer such protection in national legislation.
344. In Wales, currently 46% of all Welsh births take place in baby friendly hospitals. A Grant Scheme has been established to train breastfeeding peer supporters with a particular focus on young mothers. A Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme has been established to encourage businesses to support breastfeeding mothers.
345. In Northern Ireland, since the development and implementation of the Breastfeeding Strategy there have been significant improvements to breastfeeding support in many hospital and community Trusts. These include the promotion and implementation of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, Sure Start programmes involvement in breastfeeding, and the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and peer support programmes.
346. As a result of the above measures breastfeeding initiation rates have been rising across all socio-economic groupings in the UK - 78% in England, 70% in Scotland, 67% in Wales, and 63% in Northern Ireland. The highest incidences of breastfeeding were found among mothers from managerial and professional occupations, those with the highest educational levels, those aged 30 or over, and among first time mothers. The Infant Feeding Survey 2005 published recently shows that 45% of all mothers in the United Kingdom were breastfeeding exclusively at one week, while 21% were feeding exclusively at six weeks. At six months the proportion of mothers who were breastfeeding exclusively was negligible.
---extract ends
Friday, June 20, 2008
Breastfeeding in public in the UK - more on the 6 months limit on protecting mothers
I wrote yesterday about an apparent backtracking on the UK government´s promise that it would protect the right of women to breastfeed infants up to one year of age in public. Media reports are now saying the Single Equality Bill going through Parliament this year will provide protection for feeding infants up to 6 months. This may potentially undermine Scotland´s protection of feeding in public of children to two years and disregards the calls of health advocates to have no specified age limit. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/breastfeeding-in-public-backtrack.html
It is unclear what has prompted these stories as the government´s response to the consultation on the draft bill has still to be published. However, I see that on 11 June there was a government response to a petition someone had started on the Prime Minister own website. The petition called for a bill similar to that in Scotland, which protects mothers whether breastfeeding, or feeding with other milk, a child up to two years of age.
You can see the petition and the government´s response to it at:
http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page15731.asp
I reproduce the government´s answer here, which sets out its overall strategy. Once again it shows the government´s failure to highlight the need to protect breastfeeding from the
aggressive marketing of the formula industry. While support and promotion of breastfeeding is welcome, the government is unable to compete with the massive resources the baby food industry spends on its promotion and should, instead, regulate this in line with World Health Assembly marketing requirements, which the companies should be abiding by in any case.
In addition, once again the government strategy neglects the need of mothers and carers who use formula for accurate and independent information on the differeneces between formulas on the market and how to use them as safely as possible. Companies do not provide objective information and do not even warn parents that powdered formula is not sterile and the simple steps that can be followed to reduce the risks of possible contamination with harmful bacteria.
My blog yesterday tell you action you can take to try to change the Single Equality Bill which is passing through Parliament. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-infant-formula.html
---Quote - government response
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/breastfeeding-in-public-backtrack.html
It is unclear what has prompted these stories as the government´s response to the consultation on the draft bill has still to be published. However, I see that on 11 June there was a government response to a petition someone had started on the Prime Minister own website. The petition called for a bill similar to that in Scotland, which protects mothers whether breastfeeding, or feeding with other milk, a child up to two years of age.
You can see the petition and the government´s response to it at:
http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page15731.asp
I reproduce the government´s answer here, which sets out its overall strategy. Once again it shows the government´s failure to highlight the need to protect breastfeeding from the
aggressive marketing of the formula industry. While support and promotion of breastfeeding is welcome, the government is unable to compete with the massive resources the baby food industry spends on its promotion and should, instead, regulate this in line with World Health Assembly marketing requirements, which the companies should be abiding by in any case.
In addition, once again the government strategy neglects the need of mothers and carers who use formula for accurate and independent information on the differeneces between formulas on the market and how to use them as safely as possible. Companies do not provide objective information and do not even warn parents that powdered formula is not sterile and the simple steps that can be followed to reduce the risks of possible contamination with harmful bacteria.
My blog yesterday tell you action you can take to try to change the Single Equality Bill which is passing through Parliament. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-infant-formula.html
---Quote - government response
The Government is committed to protecting infant health in the UK. It recognises the importance of breastfeeding as the best form of nutrition for infants, and the role it can play in reducing health inequalities. The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding alongside the introduction of complementary feeding thereafter. Breastfeeding is a key indicator in the recently announced Child Health and Well-being Public Service Agreement.
The Government has in place a range of ongoing initiatives to support and promote breastfeeding. Its main focus is to increase cultural acceptance, increase awareness of the health benefits, and provide suitable resources and advice on successful breastfeeding to mothers and health professionals.
In addition, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as amended by the Sex Discrimination (Amendment of Legislation) Regulations 2008, prohibits discrimination on grounds of pregnancy or maternity in the fields of goods, facilities or services, and premises. For example, if a mother who was breastfeeding her baby in a cafe was asked to leave, she could bring a claim of direct sex discrimination against the proprietor, providing her baby is not older than 6 months.
The Government will continue to work towards developing an environment where breastfeeding is the accepted norm. Clearly, women need to be supported in their choice of breastfeeding. This year the National Breastfeeding Awareness Week was held from 11 to 17 May, and the NHS has launched a Breastfeeding Friendly Places Initiative to encourage shops, cafes and other retailers to welcome breastfeeding on their premises. This will provide a clear positive message to mothers that breastfeeding is welcome in public places and a good opportunity for the retailers to support mothers in giving their baby the best start in life. This will help to create a shift in people's attitudes to breastfeeding and have a positive impact on infant health.
---quote endsThursday, June 19, 2008
Is the UK government backtracking on protecting breastfeeding in public?
There is an article in today's Independent newspaper in the UK by journalist Johann Hari entitled There is a smart drug – it's called breast milk.
This looks at pressures on mothers to stop breastfeeding in the UK and in other countries, such as Bangladesh, and refers people to Baby Milk Action for additional information.
The article also refers to a proposed law that is starting its journey through Parliament, called the Single Equality Bill. This was put out to consultation last year and the lead story then as now was about it apparently protecting the right of mothers to breastfeed a child up to one year of age in public. Though the situation is still unclear, this article prompted me to investigate what happened as a result of the consulation and it appears the now mothers are only protected breastfeeding babies up to 6 months of age.
Part of the problem is the bill put out to consultation did not mention breastfeeding at all.
Here is how the government's Equality Impact Assessment describes the relevant provisions: "The consultation document makes clear that the Government will comply with the relevant provisions of the Gender Directive by making it explicit that less favourable treatment on grounds of pregnancy and maternity in the provision of goods, facilities and services and housing is direct sex discrimination. This will provide clarity for goods and service providers and consumers/service users about what the law means. The consultation document also proposes extending protection to the exercise of public functions."
You can download the pdf of the Impact Assessment at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/pdf/444257.pdf
As I explained last year, maternity was defined as having a child up to one year of age, so the interpretation being put on this in the government press release was that if a mother was breastfeeding her child of up to one year (or surely feeding in any way?) and asked to stop, this would be seen as discrimination on grounds of maternity. But breastfeeding does not appear in the bill. In our response we suggested that it should and that there should not be an age limit.
According to the information about the Single Equality Bill proposals on the website of the Leader of the House of Commons today: "The Government consulted on these and related proposals in 2007 and will publish its response shortly. Further consultation is planned on specific issues to be dealt with in regulations is planned [sic]." See:
http://www.commonsleader.gov.uk/output/page2438.asp
I have not been able to find the consultation response on the Communities website as yet, nor a revised draft Bill.
However, there does seem to have been some sort of change, judging from the briefing that journalists have received.
Last year the government's own press release was talking of the bill providing protection for breastfeeding in public for children up to one year of age. See:
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=290924&NewsAreaID=2
Yet all the reports I have seen this time around are saying protection is for breastfeeding babies up to 6 months of age. Here are a couple of examples.
Daily Mail : 15 June 2008
Daily Mirror : 16 June 2008
So if these briefing are correct, in the past year the proposed time that mothers can breastfeed in public and be protect by the law has been halved to 6 months. In Scotland mothers are already protected feeding children up to two years of age, though it remains to be seen what impact the UK bill may have on this if there is a conflict between legislation.
We will have a clearer idea when the consultation response is released. In the meantime comments are welcomed on the site of the Leader of the House of Commons, who is Harriet Harman MP. Who also goes by the title of Minister for Women.
Click here if you wish to leave a comment calling for the period of protection to be extended.
This looks at pressures on mothers to stop breastfeeding in the UK and in other countries, such as Bangladesh, and refers people to Baby Milk Action for additional information.
The article also refers to a proposed law that is starting its journey through Parliament, called the Single Equality Bill. This was put out to consultation last year and the lead story then as now was about it apparently protecting the right of mothers to breastfeed a child up to one year of age in public. Though the situation is still unclear, this article prompted me to investigate what happened as a result of the consulation and it appears the now mothers are only protected breastfeeding babies up to 6 months of age.
Part of the problem is the bill put out to consultation did not mention breastfeeding at all.
Here is how the government's Equality Impact Assessment describes the relevant provisions: "The consultation document makes clear that the Government will comply with the relevant provisions of the Gender Directive by making it explicit that less favourable treatment on grounds of pregnancy and maternity in the provision of goods, facilities and services and housing is direct sex discrimination. This will provide clarity for goods and service providers and consumers/service users about what the law means. The consultation document also proposes extending protection to the exercise of public functions."
You can download the pdf of the Impact Assessment at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/pdf/444257.pdf
As I explained last year, maternity was defined as having a child up to one year of age, so the interpretation being put on this in the government press release was that if a mother was breastfeeding her child of up to one year (or surely feeding in any way?) and asked to stop, this would be seen as discrimination on grounds of maternity. But breastfeeding does not appear in the bill. In our response we suggested that it should and that there should not be an age limit.
According to the information about the Single Equality Bill proposals on the website of the Leader of the House of Commons today: "The Government consulted on these and related proposals in 2007 and will publish its response shortly. Further consultation is planned on specific issues to be dealt with in regulations is planned [sic]." See:
http://www.commonsleader.gov.uk/output/page2438.asp
I have not been able to find the consultation response on the Communities website as yet, nor a revised draft Bill.
However, there does seem to have been some sort of change, judging from the briefing that journalists have received.
Last year the government's own press release was talking of the bill providing protection for breastfeeding in public for children up to one year of age. See:
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=290924&NewsAreaID=2
Yet all the reports I have seen this time around are saying protection is for breastfeeding babies up to 6 months of age. Here are a couple of examples.
Daily Mail : 15 June 2008
Daily Mirror : 16 June 2008
So if these briefing are correct, in the past year the proposed time that mothers can breastfeed in public and be protect by the law has been halved to 6 months. In Scotland mothers are already protected feeding children up to two years of age, though it remains to be seen what impact the UK bill may have on this if there is a conflict between legislation.
We will have a clearer idea when the consultation response is released. In the meantime comments are welcomed on the site of the Leader of the House of Commons, who is Harriet Harman MP. Who also goes by the title of Minister for Women.
Click here if you wish to leave a comment calling for the period of protection to be extended.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Two weeks to put Nestle in the Corporate Hall of Shame
There are just two weeks left to put Nestlé in the Corporate Hall of Shame, promoted by Corporate Accountability International.
Their main focus is on Nestlé's bottled water business - they are also running a campaign specifically on this - but address other cases of corporate malpractice, such as Nestlé's baby food marketing.
You can vote here:
http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/cms/page1669.cfm
You can vote for three companies so check out some of the others while you are there.
Their main focus is on Nestlé's bottled water business - they are also running a campaign specifically on this - but address other cases of corporate malpractice, such as Nestlé's baby food marketing.
You can vote here:
http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/cms/page1669.cfm
You can vote for three companies so check out some of the others while you are there.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Extended breastfeeding in the Mail on Sunday
There is an interesting article on extended breastfeeding in the Mail on Sunday, profiling Stella Onions. You can read the article at:
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/femail/article-1025655/Mummy-milk-The-mother-insists-breastfeeding-children-aged-FIVE-FOUR.html
Stella's children are three and five years old. Although extended breastfeeding is common in some cultures, it is certainly not common in the UK, where less than half of all children are being breastfeed at 6 weeks of age. The World Health Organisation recommendation is exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months followed by the introduction of complementary foods with continued breastfeeding into the second year of life and beyond.
The headline is the most sensational part of the article: "'Mummy milk': The mother who insists on breastfeeding her children aged FIVE and THREE."
Insists, in the sense of not being dictated to by society. As the article states:
---extract ends
Reading some of the comments on the article gives a different impression, however. Here is one: "Sorry but this is obscene and I wonder how the parents of the friends feel! I am a little concerned that she is enjoying this more than the children!" and "I think this says more about the needs of the mother than the needs of her children."
Infant feeding can give rise to strong feelings, usually from mothers who felt they were not supported with breastfeeding or feel criticised to for not breastfeeding. Clearly some will also be criticised for breastfeeding for what some feel is too long.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/femail/article-1025655/Mummy-milk-The-mother-insists-breastfeeding-children-aged-FIVE-FOUR.html
Stella's children are three and five years old. Although extended breastfeeding is common in some cultures, it is certainly not common in the UK, where less than half of all children are being breastfeed at 6 weeks of age. The World Health Organisation recommendation is exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months followed by the introduction of complementary foods with continued breastfeeding into the second year of life and beyond.
The headline is the most sensational part of the article: "'Mummy milk': The mother who insists on breastfeeding her children aged FIVE and THREE."
Insists, in the sense of not being dictated to by society. As the article states:
---extract begins
Julie Dean, of breastfeeding support group La Leche League, said: 'Toddler-feeding is not the norm but it has become more popular.
'Studies have shown that it is extremely beneficial for children as they grow up. It doesn't stop a child from becoming independent.
---extract ends
Reading some of the comments on the article gives a different impression, however. Here is one: "Sorry but this is obscene and I wonder how the parents of the friends feel! I am a little concerned that she is enjoying this more than the children!" and "I think this says more about the needs of the mother than the needs of her children."
Infant feeding can give rise to strong feelings, usually from mothers who felt they were not supported with breastfeeding or feel criticised to for not breastfeeding. Clearly some will also be criticised for breastfeeding for what some feel is too long.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Ethical Corporation Magazine's analysis of Nestlé Shared Value report
Ethical Corporation Magazine, that most pro-company PR of publications, has taken rather surprising exception to Nestlé's Shared Value report in an article today. See:
http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=5964
There is good reason to do so, as our press release at the time of the report launch set out. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press4march08.html
Ethical Corporation highlights to lack of objective targets regarding Nestlé's undertakings, ambiguity over whether it plans to develop them or is relying on historic performance and:
"Another gaping hole concerns transparency on Nestlé’s management of human rights and labour issues in its supply chain. While Nestlé claims a total of 3,400 supplier audits in 2007, it does not publish audit results or include any specifics on actions taken in the event of non-compliance. A search of Nestlé’s website yields no additional information. Given that Nestlé does not operate any of its own commercial farming activities, this seems a significant oversight."
We have repeatedly asked Nestlé for audits it claims to produce on its baby food marketing practices and have also written to the Nestlé Ombudsman on this issue, but received no reply. An overview of an audit does appear in the Shared Value report and is extremely flawed, for example using Nestlé Instructions as its starting point rather than the World Health Assembly marketing requirements. As we have exposed on our Campaign for Ethical Marketing action sheet, Nestlé violates its own weaker measures as well as the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the Assembly.
Yet Ethical Corporation is worryingly impressed by the baby food marketing audits and accepts at face value the claim the audits are against the Assembly measures stating: "As could be expected given past controversy, Nestlé rounds out the discussion with a nod to breastfeeding and a description of how the company is monitoring its compliance with the World Health Organisation International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. Nestlé makes a portion of these audit results available online, showing a clear record with no violations."
Which does highlight the flaw with the whole voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility approach. When claims are not woolly, they may be bogus. This is why campaigns such as the UK CORE campaign are calling for obligatory reporting standards for which a named director is legally responsible, in the same way as financial reporting has to be rigorous.
Suggestions in my contribution to the book Global Obligations for the Right to Food examine how this can be achieved at a global level for when national safeguards are ineffective.
http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=5964
There is good reason to do so, as our press release at the time of the report launch set out. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press4march08.html
Ethical Corporation highlights to lack of objective targets regarding Nestlé's undertakings, ambiguity over whether it plans to develop them or is relying on historic performance and:
"Another gaping hole concerns transparency on Nestlé’s management of human rights and labour issues in its supply chain. While Nestlé claims a total of 3,400 supplier audits in 2007, it does not publish audit results or include any specifics on actions taken in the event of non-compliance. A search of Nestlé’s website yields no additional information. Given that Nestlé does not operate any of its own commercial farming activities, this seems a significant oversight."
We have repeatedly asked Nestlé for audits it claims to produce on its baby food marketing practices and have also written to the Nestlé Ombudsman on this issue, but received no reply. An overview of an audit does appear in the Shared Value report and is extremely flawed, for example using Nestlé Instructions as its starting point rather than the World Health Assembly marketing requirements. As we have exposed on our Campaign for Ethical Marketing action sheet, Nestlé violates its own weaker measures as well as the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the Assembly.
Yet Ethical Corporation is worryingly impressed by the baby food marketing audits and accepts at face value the claim the audits are against the Assembly measures stating: "As could be expected given past controversy, Nestlé rounds out the discussion with a nod to breastfeeding and a description of how the company is monitoring its compliance with the World Health Organisation International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. Nestlé makes a portion of these audit results available online, showing a clear record with no violations."
Which does highlight the flaw with the whole voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility approach. When claims are not woolly, they may be bogus. This is why campaigns such as the UK CORE campaign are calling for obligatory reporting standards for which a named director is legally responsible, in the same way as financial reporting has to be rigorous.
Suggestions in my contribution to the book Global Obligations for the Right to Food examine how this can be achieved at a global level for when national safeguards are ineffective.
Friday, June 13, 2008
A quick way for wealthy people to help protect mothers and babies in the UK
This is a day of good news and bad news for our campaign in the UK. So much progress, but so little money to take advantage of it.
The good news is that the review panel charged with evaluating whether the new Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations work effectively held its first meeting last Friday. We have received a formal request to submit evidence to the review (with the BFLG quarterly monitoring reports being specifically mentioned) and to attend a stakeholder meeting. We prepared the first quarterly montoring report in time for the first panel meeting. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/bflg-may-2008.html
The bad news is that we have virtually no money for this work. A particular blow was hearing back from a charitable trust I had sent a funding proposal to for a project covering this. I had spent the best part of a day preparing a proposal tailored to the application procedure on their website and fitting with their criteria. Only to be told that the Trustees are now interested in different areas and so this type of project is no longer relevant. Fundraising is wonderful when it works - and we are grateful to all our funders. But time lost when it does not.
There are few funders interested in such strategically important work, despite the fact that bringing formula marketing requirements into line with the World Health Assembly standards would help to improve infant health, protect mothers' rights and save the country a fortune. The detail of the benefits were set out in our report 'Protecting breastfeeding - Protecting babies fed on formula' submitted to the government's consultation on the Regulations and available on line at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications01.html#bflgsubmission
Most funders direct resources to interventions, on our issue that means providing breastfeeding support to mothers to try to improve rates. This is, of course, also very important. 90% of mothers who stopped breastfeeding before 6 months said they wanted to breastfeed for longer, and support is part of the solution. What we do however is address the root problems of aggressive marketing of formula which undermines breastfeeding and denies parents who use formula the information they need. We are looking for improved breastfeeding rates and reduced sickness for infants fed on formula from possible intrinsic contamination of formula with harmful bacteria such as Enterobacter Sakazakii.
There is a lot we can do without funding. Indeed, the report we just submitted was only possible due to the support of volunteers who monitor and submit evidence and to staff working in their unpaid time. Staff hours fluctuate with funding. As someone committed to this work I do not, in principle, have a problem with working on UK issues without pay, but practically there are difficulties. If Baby Milk Action can only pay me to work a couple of days per week, I have to spend at least some of the unpaid time looking for and doing other work.
When time available for priorities is short, there is a conflict between focusing on them and spending time looking for new funding to try to increase staff hours.
So this is an appeal for donations. Not particularly from our usual supporters, who already do so much, and if they want to do more could treat themselves to the latest edition of The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle Palmer. I cannot thank people enough for the support for the UK campaign. This has had a positive impact. The Guidance Notes that accompany the Regulations contain some good measures (an indication of how good is the attack on them from the baby food industry). And with the review panel the door is still open for stronger Regulations.
What I would really like is someone rich to send us a cheque or click the special donation button below, which I'll run on the site for a while. Appeals when there are natural disasters or for the protection of particular endangered species can attract donations of thousands of pounds from wealthy individuals. Such a donation to us would have an immediate impact on the time that can be put to the UK campaign.
The funds we are seeking will enable us:
Our funding proposal is available if there is anyone interested in funding this work or helping us to fundraise for it.
We can only accept donations from individuals or non-profit organisations. We do not accept donations from commercial organisations as I was writing about the other day.
If you are inspired to send us a big donation you can do so by credit card, paypal or cheque (a cheque has no processing costs for us) by scrolling down to the button below, which links to the secure payment system we use.
Alternatively go to the donation page on our website. Donations for our international work can be made there and are also extremely welcome.
The good news is that the review panel charged with evaluating whether the new Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations work effectively held its first meeting last Friday. We have received a formal request to submit evidence to the review (with the BFLG quarterly monitoring reports being specifically mentioned) and to attend a stakeholder meeting. We prepared the first quarterly montoring report in time for the first panel meeting. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/bflg-may-2008.html
The bad news is that we have virtually no money for this work. A particular blow was hearing back from a charitable trust I had sent a funding proposal to for a project covering this. I had spent the best part of a day preparing a proposal tailored to the application procedure on their website and fitting with their criteria. Only to be told that the Trustees are now interested in different areas and so this type of project is no longer relevant. Fundraising is wonderful when it works - and we are grateful to all our funders. But time lost when it does not.
There are few funders interested in such strategically important work, despite the fact that bringing formula marketing requirements into line with the World Health Assembly standards would help to improve infant health, protect mothers' rights and save the country a fortune. The detail of the benefits were set out in our report 'Protecting breastfeeding - Protecting babies fed on formula' submitted to the government's consultation on the Regulations and available on line at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications01.html#bflgsubmission
Most funders direct resources to interventions, on our issue that means providing breastfeeding support to mothers to try to improve rates. This is, of course, also very important. 90% of mothers who stopped breastfeeding before 6 months said they wanted to breastfeed for longer, and support is part of the solution. What we do however is address the root problems of aggressive marketing of formula which undermines breastfeeding and denies parents who use formula the information they need. We are looking for improved breastfeeding rates and reduced sickness for infants fed on formula from possible intrinsic contamination of formula with harmful bacteria such as Enterobacter Sakazakii.
There is a lot we can do without funding. Indeed, the report we just submitted was only possible due to the support of volunteers who monitor and submit evidence and to staff working in their unpaid time. Staff hours fluctuate with funding. As someone committed to this work I do not, in principle, have a problem with working on UK issues without pay, but practically there are difficulties. If Baby Milk Action can only pay me to work a couple of days per week, I have to spend at least some of the unpaid time looking for and doing other work.
When time available for priorities is short, there is a conflict between focusing on them and spending time looking for new funding to try to increase staff hours.
So this is an appeal for donations. Not particularly from our usual supporters, who already do so much, and if they want to do more could treat themselves to the latest edition of The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle Palmer. I cannot thank people enough for the support for the UK campaign. This has had a positive impact. The Guidance Notes that accompany the Regulations contain some good measures (an indication of how good is the attack on them from the baby food industry). And with the review panel the door is still open for stronger Regulations.
What I would really like is someone rich to send us a cheque or click the special donation button below, which I'll run on the site for a while. Appeals when there are natural disasters or for the protection of particular endangered species can attract donations of thousands of pounds from wealthy individuals. Such a donation to us would have an immediate impact on the time that can be put to the UK campaign.
The funds we are seeking will enable us:
- to report practices that breach the Regulations to Trading Standards officers,
- to prepare summary reports of any action taken, the results and new marketing practices,
- to participate in stakeholder meetings with the review panel, t
- o continue to brief the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, which told the UK to implement the World Health Assembly measures in its 2003 report and will be reviewing progress later this year and
- to prepare training materials to increase the number of people who are monitoring. to continue monitoring the Regulations when they are finally set and work for their enforcement and
- to make the case for Regulations for feeding bottles and teats, which are covered by World Health Assembly marketing requirements, but not at all by UK legislation.
Our funding proposal is available if there is anyone interested in funding this work or helping us to fundraise for it.
We can only accept donations from individuals or non-profit organisations. We do not accept donations from commercial organisations as I was writing about the other day.
If you are inspired to send us a big donation you can do so by credit card, paypal or cheque (a cheque has no processing costs for us) by scrolling down to the button below, which links to the secure payment system we use.
Alternatively go to the donation page on our website. Donations for our international work can be made there and are also extremely welcome.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Politics of Breastfeeding - pre-order for October
The Politics of Breastfeeding is a book that has motivated many people to campaign to stop baby food companies aggressively marketing their products. It is an interesting and entertaining look at the history of breastfeeding and the culture that provides or denies support to mothers.
It was written by Gabrielle Palmer, a founder member of Baby Milk Action back in the days when it was set up by health and development groups and known as the Baby Milk Action Coalition. Gay, who qualified as a nutritionist and has worked for UNICEF, remains very active in working to protect infant health and mothers' rights, as a trainer, author and very popular speaker.
The great news is that The Politics of Breastfeeding has been updated and will be available in October.
We are taking pre-orders in our on-line Virtual Shop. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications02.html#politics
To help Baby Milk Action, Gay has agreed to sign a limited number of copies. We are offering these on a first come, first served basis for people who add a donation of at least £10 to their order to go towards our work.
When you read the book you will likely be angry at the way companies have and continue to put their own profits before health and the poor response to this from many governments. Campaigners have achieved a great deal to stop aggressive marketing practices and we can do more with your help, both financial and spreading the word. So please do order a copy of this book and, if you can, make a donation.
It was written by Gabrielle Palmer, a founder member of Baby Milk Action back in the days when it was set up by health and development groups and known as the Baby Milk Action Coalition. Gay, who qualified as a nutritionist and has worked for UNICEF, remains very active in working to protect infant health and mothers' rights, as a trainer, author and very popular speaker.
The great news is that The Politics of Breastfeeding has been updated and will be available in October.
We are taking pre-orders in our on-line Virtual Shop. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/publications02.html#politics
To help Baby Milk Action, Gay has agreed to sign a limited number of copies. We are offering these on a first come, first served basis for people who add a donation of at least £10 to their order to go towards our work.
When you read the book you will likely be angry at the way companies have and continue to put their own profits before health and the poor response to this from many governments. Campaigners have achieved a great deal to stop aggressive marketing practices and we can do more with your help, both financial and spreading the word. So please do order a copy of this book and, if you can, make a donation.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Brazilian breastfeeding conference and 1,600 mothers breastfeeding
I wrote yesterday about sponsorship of events on infant care and the need to be wary of conflicts of interest.
Baby Milk Action accepts no funding from commercial organisations. The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), to which we belong, has a policy members sign up to of accepting no funding from organisations with a commercial interest in how infants are fed, covering formula and bottle and teat companies as well as pump companies (that is pumps for expressing breastmilk). Pump companies are sometimes bottle companies as well, but even if not and even if code compliant, they have a commercial interest in how infants are fed. IBFAN wants no financial motives ascribed to its work to protect and promote breastfeeding. Our concern is infant health.
Pump companies are also controversial as their presence as a sponsor or exhibitor implies endorsement of pumps, whereas there are many breastfeeding counsellors who prefer to promote hand expression.
Last month I attended the Brazilian National Breastfeeding Conference in Belém, Para, a state in the north of the country which covers part of the Amazon delta. The location was chosen by IBFAN Brazil to strengthen the work of the network there and other breastfeeding support activities. The conference included the First Amazonian Human Milk Bank Conference, with training sessions for staff from milk banks, for example.
There were many sponsors for the event. With it being IBFAN Brazil I didn't have to concern myself about who they might be. At other events I have been caught out, with the surprise presence of a company like Tommee Tippee, for example, which is particularly aggressive in promoting feeding bottles.
So who were the sponsors? Well, as with all sponsors they appear prominently on conferencce publicity, such as the backdrop here at the closing ceremony where I am doing my impression of someone who speaks Portuguese.
(Picture copyright protected - ENAM closing ceremony)
Main sponsors were the state government and health authority, with support from the federal government, UNICEF, educational and health establishments, professional associations (including the baby friendly fire workers - representative sitting in the middle), the non-profit small business development agency (SEBRAE) and the state oil company (Petrobras).
Exhibitors were a variety of health organisations, educational establishments and crafts people.
Participants had to pay and with 2,700 registering, much more than budgeted, it was announced that there was a positive balance to go to future events (the next national conference will be in São Paulo).
There was media coverage of the conference and the event that kicked it off. This was billed as 1,000 women breastfeeding on the banks of the Guajara River. On the day 1,600 mothers actually turned up.
(Picture copyright controlled - Dr. Sonia and Mike de Oliveira Brady)
Here is a report on a Brazilian website with a picture.
(If you are interested in some pictures and thoughts on my day trip into the Amazon delta, take a look at my personal blog).
Baby Milk Action accepts no funding from commercial organisations. The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), to which we belong, has a policy members sign up to of accepting no funding from organisations with a commercial interest in how infants are fed, covering formula and bottle and teat companies as well as pump companies (that is pumps for expressing breastmilk). Pump companies are sometimes bottle companies as well, but even if not and even if code compliant, they have a commercial interest in how infants are fed. IBFAN wants no financial motives ascribed to its work to protect and promote breastfeeding. Our concern is infant health.
Pump companies are also controversial as their presence as a sponsor or exhibitor implies endorsement of pumps, whereas there are many breastfeeding counsellors who prefer to promote hand expression.
Last month I attended the Brazilian National Breastfeeding Conference in Belém, Para, a state in the north of the country which covers part of the Amazon delta. The location was chosen by IBFAN Brazil to strengthen the work of the network there and other breastfeeding support activities. The conference included the First Amazonian Human Milk Bank Conference, with training sessions for staff from milk banks, for example.
There were many sponsors for the event. With it being IBFAN Brazil I didn't have to concern myself about who they might be. At other events I have been caught out, with the surprise presence of a company like Tommee Tippee, for example, which is particularly aggressive in promoting feeding bottles.
So who were the sponsors? Well, as with all sponsors they appear prominently on conferencce publicity, such as the backdrop here at the closing ceremony where I am doing my impression of someone who speaks Portuguese.
(Picture copyright protected - ENAM closing ceremony)Main sponsors were the state government and health authority, with support from the federal government, UNICEF, educational and health establishments, professional associations (including the baby friendly fire workers - representative sitting in the middle), the non-profit small business development agency (SEBRAE) and the state oil company (Petrobras).
Exhibitors were a variety of health organisations, educational establishments and crafts people.
Participants had to pay and with 2,700 registering, much more than budgeted, it was announced that there was a positive balance to go to future events (the next national conference will be in São Paulo).
There was media coverage of the conference and the event that kicked it off. This was billed as 1,000 women breastfeeding on the banks of the Guajara River. On the day 1,600 mothers actually turned up.
(Picture copyright controlled - Dr. Sonia and Mike de Oliveira Brady)Here is a report on a Brazilian website with a picture.
(If you are interested in some pictures and thoughts on my day trip into the Amazon delta, take a look at my personal blog).
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Sponsored events and conflicts of interest
Regular readers of this blog will know that there are World Health Assembly Resolutions calling for care over conflicts of interest in sponsorship of health workers and programmes.
What is meant by a conflict of interest? Well, as a starting point consider that sponsors want their logos on the materials of a sponsored event and possibly materials on a stand or in a participants pack. These are opportunities that fundraisers for events will sometimes explicitely offer to possible sponsors - the opportunity to promote themselves and/or their products to a key target audience. Companies may well also want to mention their sponsorship in their materials, websites, to the media and so on to gain kudos from any good name you have and for their perceived generosity (even when the money comes from their Public Relations or marketing budget).
So if you are running an event on infant care and it is sponsored by a bank, then you would not be surprised to think the bank is hoping to give the impression it cares about the next generation - a good image for a bank - and wants to pick up a few customers. Or if it is a mobile phone company, it is wanting its name seen by participants, most of whom will use mobile phones and may remember the name next time they are considering a change or may be less likely to cross the road the next time they encounter a marketing person in the street.
Now you may not like particular banks or mobile phone companies and that may be a good reason not to have them as sponsors, but I would suggest there is not a conflict of interest here. How you care for a child or how you advise others to care for a child is not going to be affected if you feel a little more inclined to read a flier from one of the nice sponsors of your event than you might have been beforehand.
What if it is a washing powder company that promotes its products at the event? Babies are messy creatures and, while everyone uses washing powder, people do so to a greater degree when a baby is messing up its clothes and reusable nappies (if those are being used). Here the company has a direct interest in how you care for your child or advise others. They want their product to be used. Will favouring the sponsor over another company make any difference to the child and its family? Unlikely. Desite all the hype I would guess there is not that much to choose between washing powders so recommending one over another won't do much harm, other than using your time and good name.
Now what about bottle and teat companies and formula companies? Like all the types of companies mentioned so far they want their products to be used and recommended rather than competing ones. Again, despite the hype there is not really much to choose between the different commercial products on the market. Those added ingredients which companies build their marketing campaigns around have no proven benefits. And if they did, we would want to see those ingredients in all products. See:
http://oycottnestle.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-infant-formula.html
But they are not only competing with each other. They are competing with breastfeeding. Putting 'breast is best' on labels and in small print as a grudging compliance with laws does not negate this fact.
Does it make a difference if a company complies with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions when considering whether there is a conflict of interest?
A code violator may be more effective at competing with breastfeeding, but a code complier is still, like the bank and the washing powder company, looking for a return on its investment. So, no, I don't see how it makes a difference. Their interest - making a profit from artificial feeding - conflicts with providing impartial advice.
What about companies seeking to profit from breastfeeding, like pump companies and nipple cream companies? They too are looking for sales, recommendations, image transfer, good PR, access.
You might not really care if a mother is more likely to use one bank over another or a mobile phone company rather than its competitor.
You might be clear that breastfeeding and independent advice for mothers who use formula should not be undermined by the presence of companies with competing objectives.
But do you want to recommend a particular breastpump, feeding bottle (for expressed breastmilk) or a nipple cream? Are you comfortable with other aspects of the business of the company that owns the particular brand or subsidiary company?
If you feel there is a conflict then there is a conflict of interest. If you don't feel there is a conflict then you are defending your sponsor. Which may be fine. But it is not a neutral position.
If you think it is not an issue because the money is for a good cause and marketing doesn't really work, then that is to misunderstand why companies invest money in sponsorship.
What's the best way through?
To have sponsors you feel comfortable with, whose ulterior motive of gaining a return on their investment does not conflict with yours.
The simplest solution is to have no commercial sponsorship like Baby Milk Action and limit what you do as a result (but we think we are more effective through having no commercial links).
If you do need sponsors then why not look to products and services that have no impact on babies and young children or, if they do, they are to be welcomed. Like a photography studio, perhaps?
As a final thought, you might think you do want formula companies at an infant care event to be able to learn about the new improved formulas they are putting on the market. If so, why not assign someone to take a look at the materials, investigate the references to see if claims are evidence based and provide an impartial briefing or presentation that puts whatever the new formula may be in context. It may be new improved, but will still provide sub-optimum nutrition compared to breastfeeding.
What is meant by a conflict of interest? Well, as a starting point consider that sponsors want their logos on the materials of a sponsored event and possibly materials on a stand or in a participants pack. These are opportunities that fundraisers for events will sometimes explicitely offer to possible sponsors - the opportunity to promote themselves and/or their products to a key target audience. Companies may well also want to mention their sponsorship in their materials, websites, to the media and so on to gain kudos from any good name you have and for their perceived generosity (even when the money comes from their Public Relations or marketing budget).
So if you are running an event on infant care and it is sponsored by a bank, then you would not be surprised to think the bank is hoping to give the impression it cares about the next generation - a good image for a bank - and wants to pick up a few customers. Or if it is a mobile phone company, it is wanting its name seen by participants, most of whom will use mobile phones and may remember the name next time they are considering a change or may be less likely to cross the road the next time they encounter a marketing person in the street.
Now you may not like particular banks or mobile phone companies and that may be a good reason not to have them as sponsors, but I would suggest there is not a conflict of interest here. How you care for a child or how you advise others to care for a child is not going to be affected if you feel a little more inclined to read a flier from one of the nice sponsors of your event than you might have been beforehand.
What if it is a washing powder company that promotes its products at the event? Babies are messy creatures and, while everyone uses washing powder, people do so to a greater degree when a baby is messing up its clothes and reusable nappies (if those are being used). Here the company has a direct interest in how you care for your child or advise others. They want their product to be used. Will favouring the sponsor over another company make any difference to the child and its family? Unlikely. Desite all the hype I would guess there is not that much to choose between washing powders so recommending one over another won't do much harm, other than using your time and good name.
Now what about bottle and teat companies and formula companies? Like all the types of companies mentioned so far they want their products to be used and recommended rather than competing ones. Again, despite the hype there is not really much to choose between the different commercial products on the market. Those added ingredients which companies build their marketing campaigns around have no proven benefits. And if they did, we would want to see those ingredients in all products. See:
http://oycottnestle.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-infant-formula.html
But they are not only competing with each other. They are competing with breastfeeding. Putting 'breast is best' on labels and in small print as a grudging compliance with laws does not negate this fact.
Does it make a difference if a company complies with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions when considering whether there is a conflict of interest?
A code violator may be more effective at competing with breastfeeding, but a code complier is still, like the bank and the washing powder company, looking for a return on its investment. So, no, I don't see how it makes a difference. Their interest - making a profit from artificial feeding - conflicts with providing impartial advice.
What about companies seeking to profit from breastfeeding, like pump companies and nipple cream companies? They too are looking for sales, recommendations, image transfer, good PR, access.
You might not really care if a mother is more likely to use one bank over another or a mobile phone company rather than its competitor.
You might be clear that breastfeeding and independent advice for mothers who use formula should not be undermined by the presence of companies with competing objectives.
But do you want to recommend a particular breastpump, feeding bottle (for expressed breastmilk) or a nipple cream? Are you comfortable with other aspects of the business of the company that owns the particular brand or subsidiary company?
If you feel there is a conflict then there is a conflict of interest. If you don't feel there is a conflict then you are defending your sponsor. Which may be fine. But it is not a neutral position.
If you think it is not an issue because the money is for a good cause and marketing doesn't really work, then that is to misunderstand why companies invest money in sponsorship.
What's the best way through?
To have sponsors you feel comfortable with, whose ulterior motive of gaining a return on their investment does not conflict with yours.
The simplest solution is to have no commercial sponsorship like Baby Milk Action and limit what you do as a result (but we think we are more effective through having no commercial links).
If you do need sponsors then why not look to products and services that have no impact on babies and young children or, if they do, they are to be welcomed. Like a photography studio, perhaps?
As a final thought, you might think you do want formula companies at an infant care event to be able to learn about the new improved formulas they are putting on the market. If so, why not assign someone to take a look at the materials, investigate the references to see if claims are evidence based and provide an impartial briefing or presentation that puts whatever the new formula may be in context. It may be new improved, but will still provide sub-optimum nutrition compared to breastfeeding.
Monday, June 09, 2008
World Breastfeeding Week 2008
Here's a message I've just received about World Breastfeeding Week and a way you can draw attention to any event you are planning.
---
Announcing the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2008 Virtual Torch Run
WABA is pleased to announce the launch of the WBW 2008 Virtual Torch Run.
A virtual torch will be lighted up on the world map for every pledge that WABA receives for a WBW activity planned all around the world.
The WBW 2008 Virtual Torch Run is taking place now on the WBW website www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.
All you need to do is to complete the pledge form attached and submit it to WABA and a virtual torch will be lighted up for you.
Please forward this news to as many people as you know and let us all participate in this virtual torch run for breastfeeding.
WBW 2008 Mother Support : Going for the Gold
Let the celebrations begin!!!!
Best wishes,
Julianna Lim Abdullah
International WBW Coordinator
WABA
P.S. Whilst WBW is officially celebrated from 1-8 August annually, there are many countries which celebrate during the months of October and November. To take part in the WBW Virtual Torch Run, all that matters is that you are celebrating WBW in the year of 2008.
---
Announcing the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2008 Virtual Torch Run
WABA is pleased to announce the launch of the WBW 2008 Virtual Torch Run.
A virtual torch will be lighted up on the world map for every pledge that WABA receives for a WBW activity planned all around the world.
The WBW 2008 Virtual Torch Run is taking place now on the WBW website www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.
All you need to do is to complete the pledge form attached and submit it to WABA and a virtual torch will be lighted up for you.
Please forward this news to as many people as you know and let us all participate in this virtual torch run for breastfeeding.
WBW 2008 Mother Support : Going for the Gold
Let the celebrations begin!!!!
Best wishes,
Julianna Lim Abdullah
International WBW Coordinator
WABA
P.S. Whilst WBW is officially celebrated from 1-8 August annually, there are many countries which celebrate during the months of October and November. To take part in the WBW Virtual Torch Run, all that matters is that you are celebrating WBW in the year of 2008.
Friday, June 06, 2008
The Queen's Shredded Wheat
The Food Magazine (issue 81) has highlighted that the British Royal Family have awarded their coats of arms to some questionable companies. You can access the magazine for a fee here:
http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/
Here is a report picking up on the story in the UK Daily Telegraph.
On the list of companies with a royal warrant is our friend Nestlé and Nestlé Purina. You can search the directory at:
http://www.royalwarrant.org/DirectorySQL.asp
Companies become eligible : "By supplying products or services on a regular basis to: The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales – for not less than five years. Suppliers to The Prince of Wales also have to demonstrate that they have a sustainable environmental policy and action plan."
So does this mean that Her Majesty The Queen eats shredded wheat or gives the corgis winalot? No. The Telegraph reports a Buckingham Palace spokesman saying: "Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition that a trade organisation has supplied the Royal household to its satisfaction. It doesn't necessarily mean that that particular product [bearing the coat of arms] has been used by the Queen."
It may be worth sending a message to the Queen's office asking if it would not be possible to apply some sort of ethical criteria, perhaps following ethical investment indices, such as FTSE4Good - Nestlé does not meet the policy nor the practice criteria to be listed due to its lack of respect for the World Health Assembly marketing requirements for baby foods.
Royal Warrants are actually awarded by the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household.
The Queen does know something of this issue. Our Policy Director, Patti Rundall, had a brief moment to explain our work to Her Majesty when she was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive a medal for 'services to infant nutrition' in the Millenium Honours List.
http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/
Here is a report picking up on the story in the UK Daily Telegraph.
On the list of companies with a royal warrant is our friend Nestlé and Nestlé Purina. You can search the directory at:
http://www.royalwarrant.org/DirectorySQL.asp
Companies become eligible : "By supplying products or services on a regular basis to: The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales – for not less than five years. Suppliers to The Prince of Wales also have to demonstrate that they have a sustainable environmental policy and action plan."
So does this mean that Her Majesty The Queen eats shredded wheat or gives the corgis winalot? No. The Telegraph reports a Buckingham Palace spokesman saying: "Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition that a trade organisation has supplied the Royal household to its satisfaction. It doesn't necessarily mean that that particular product [bearing the coat of arms] has been used by the Queen."
It may be worth sending a message to the Queen's office asking if it would not be possible to apply some sort of ethical criteria, perhaps following ethical investment indices, such as FTSE4Good - Nestlé does not meet the policy nor the practice criteria to be listed due to its lack of respect for the World Health Assembly marketing requirements for baby foods.
Royal Warrants are actually awarded by the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household.
The Queen does know something of this issue. Our Policy Director, Patti Rundall, had a brief moment to explain our work to Her Majesty when she was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive a medal for 'services to infant nutrition' in the Millenium Honours List.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
World Environment Day: Infant feeding and climate change
Today is World Environment Day.
Colleagues in the Malta Breastfeeding Foundation have producted a power point show on infant feeding and the environment. You can download it (about 1 MByte) by clicking:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/pdf/mbfwed08.pps
It looks at the resources used to produce formula compared to breastfeeding. Though it contains some figures on methane production from dairy cows, the rest of the production chain has not yet been quantified. Baby Milk Action has been trying to raise money to do this. We suggested in the Baby Feeding Law Group report submitted to the UK government consultation on its formula marketing regulations that it try to calculate the environmental benefit and cost savings of its proposed weak regulations in comparison with implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions (we were able to provide in our submission information on health benefits and associated savings from those). The government did not do so.
Brazil's implementation of the Code and Resolutions and promotion and support of breastfeeding has seen the median breastfeeding duration increase from less than 3 months to 10 months. That is a significant amount of formula and bottled not produced and transported and feeds made up. If other countries followed Brazil's example, the impact may be significant. We would like to commission someone to do the calculations. If you are interesed in helping to fund this or have the expertise, please let me know.
I would also be interested in feedback on the power point show. It is addressed to mothers, rather than policy makers. What do you think of this approach?
Colleagues in the Malta Breastfeeding Foundation have producted a power point show on infant feeding and the environment. You can download it (about 1 MByte) by clicking:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/pdf/mbfwed08.pps
It looks at the resources used to produce formula compared to breastfeeding. Though it contains some figures on methane production from dairy cows, the rest of the production chain has not yet been quantified. Baby Milk Action has been trying to raise money to do this. We suggested in the Baby Feeding Law Group report submitted to the UK government consultation on its formula marketing regulations that it try to calculate the environmental benefit and cost savings of its proposed weak regulations in comparison with implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions (we were able to provide in our submission information on health benefits and associated savings from those). The government did not do so.
Brazil's implementation of the Code and Resolutions and promotion and support of breastfeeding has seen the median breastfeeding duration increase from less than 3 months to 10 months. That is a significant amount of formula and bottled not produced and transported and feeds made up. If other countries followed Brazil's example, the impact may be significant. We would like to commission someone to do the calculations. If you are interesed in helping to fund this or have the expertise, please let me know.
I would also be interested in feedback on the power point show. It is addressed to mothers, rather than policy makers. What do you think of this approach?
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
New World Health Assembly Resolution - WHA 61.48
It was the World Health Assembly last week and a working group presented text on Infant and Young Child Nutrition for adoption.
The Assembly:
---
URGES Member States:
(1) to strengthen implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk
Substitutes and subsequent relevant Health Assembly resolutions by scaling up efforts to
monitor and enforce national measures in order to protect breastfeeding while keeping in mind
the Health Assembly resolutions to avoid conflicts of interest;
(2) to continue action on the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding and the
Innocenti Declaration of 2005 on infant and young child feeding and to increase support for
early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, in order to reduce the scourge of malnutrition and its associated high rates of under-five morbidity and mortality;
(3) to implement, through application and wide dissemination, the WHO/FAO guidelines on
safe preparation, storage and handling of powdered infant formula in order to minimize the risk of bacterial infection and, in particular, ensure that the labelling of powdered formula conforms with the standards, guidelines and recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and taking into account resolution WHA58.32;
(4) to investigate, as a risk-reduction strategy, the possible use and, in accordance with
national regulations, the safe use of donor milk through human milk banks for vulnerable
infants, in particular premature, low-birth-weight and immunocompromised infants, and to
promote appropriate hygienic measures for storage, conservation, and use of human milk;
(5) to take action through food-safety measures, including appropriate regulatory measures,
to reduce the risk of intrinsic contamination of powdered infant formula by Enterobacter
sakazakii and other pathogenic microorganisms during the manufacturing process as well as the risk of contamination during storage, preparation and handling, and monitor the effectiveness of these measures;
---
The UK supported the Resolution, which is hopefully is a good sign as we look to the authorities to take action on the marketing practices exposed in the monitoring report I wrote about yesterday. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/bflg-may-2008.html
The full text is available at:
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/A61/A61_48-en.pdf
This is marked as draft, but I believe it is as adopted. It will be available in due course on the WHO site in various languages.
The Assembly:
---
URGES Member States:
(1) to strengthen implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk
Substitutes and subsequent relevant Health Assembly resolutions by scaling up efforts to
monitor and enforce national measures in order to protect breastfeeding while keeping in mind
the Health Assembly resolutions to avoid conflicts of interest;
(2) to continue action on the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding and the
Innocenti Declaration of 2005 on infant and young child feeding and to increase support for
early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, in order to reduce the scourge of malnutrition and its associated high rates of under-five morbidity and mortality;
(3) to implement, through application and wide dissemination, the WHO/FAO guidelines on
safe preparation, storage and handling of powdered infant formula in order to minimize the risk of bacterial infection and, in particular, ensure that the labelling of powdered formula conforms with the standards, guidelines and recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and taking into account resolution WHA58.32;
(4) to investigate, as a risk-reduction strategy, the possible use and, in accordance with
national regulations, the safe use of donor milk through human milk banks for vulnerable
infants, in particular premature, low-birth-weight and immunocompromised infants, and to
promote appropriate hygienic measures for storage, conservation, and use of human milk;
(5) to take action through food-safety measures, including appropriate regulatory measures,
to reduce the risk of intrinsic contamination of powdered infant formula by Enterobacter
sakazakii and other pathogenic microorganisms during the manufacturing process as well as the risk of contamination during storage, preparation and handling, and monitor the effectiveness of these measures;
---
The UK supported the Resolution, which is hopefully is a good sign as we look to the authorities to take action on the marketing practices exposed in the monitoring report I wrote about yesterday. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/06/bflg-may-2008.html
The full text is available at:
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/A61/A61_48-en.pdf
This is marked as draft, but I believe it is as adopted. It will be available in due course on the WHO site in various languages.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
BFLG monitoring report May 2008
Many thanks to everyone who has submitted information on what baby food companies are up to in the UK to the monitoring project we coordinate for the Baby Feeding Law Group (BFLG).
As a new development, we are producing quarterly monitoring reports which are being submitted to the enforcement authories now that our new regulations and associated Guidance Notes have come into force.
You can download the report from the BFLG website at:
http://www.babyfeedinglawgroup.org.uk/monitoring.html
It profiles the main UK formula companies - and Nestlé which is trying to break into the market.
The cover shows the battle of the beasts - the cute animals used by companies to make their products the most appealing. Who would have thought that formula is a nutritional medicine?
The marketing practices shown in this report are restricted to those believed to be illegal under UK law. They are not necessarily the worst marketing practices in the UK as the law allows many practices that are violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the World Health Assembly and are illegal in many other countries. (Earlier reports, such as Hard Sell Formula, give an overview of strategies).
Some of the practices we believe have been illegal since formula marketing regulations were first introduced in the UK in 1995. There has only been one prosecution in all this time - in 2003 for illegal infant formula advertising by Wyeth/SMA. Although convicted of a 'cynical and deliberate' breach of the regulations, similar advertisements continue to run.
Perhaps this will change now that there are new Regulations and Guidance Notes.
In three months time, if resources allow, we will produce another round up, showing what action has been taken, any resulting changes and new marketing strategies.
As a new development, we are producing quarterly monitoring reports which are being submitted to the enforcement authories now that our new regulations and associated Guidance Notes have come into force.
You can download the report from the BFLG website at:
http://www.babyfeedinglawgroup.org.uk/monitoring.html
It profiles the main UK formula companies - and Nestlé which is trying to break into the market.
The cover shows the battle of the beasts - the cute animals used by companies to make their products the most appealing. Who would have thought that formula is a nutritional medicine?
The marketing practices shown in this report are restricted to those believed to be illegal under UK law. They are not necessarily the worst marketing practices in the UK as the law allows many practices that are violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions of the World Health Assembly and are illegal in many other countries. (Earlier reports, such as Hard Sell Formula, give an overview of strategies).
Some of the practices we believe have been illegal since formula marketing regulations were first introduced in the UK in 1995. There has only been one prosecution in all this time - in 2003 for illegal infant formula advertising by Wyeth/SMA. Although convicted of a 'cynical and deliberate' breach of the regulations, similar advertisements continue to run.
Perhaps this will change now that there are new Regulations and Guidance Notes.
In three months time, if resources allow, we will produce another round up, showing what action has been taken, any resulting changes and new marketing strategies.
Monday, June 02, 2008
UK Guidance Notes - our press release
Today we have issued a press release about the new Guidance Notes published in the UK to accompany the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 2007.
This includes some of the measures the industry has opposed, as described in the last couple of blog entries here. See the press release at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press2jun08.html
This includes some of the measures the industry has opposed, as described in the last couple of blog entries here. See the press release at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press2jun08.html
Friday, May 30, 2008
Baby food companies defend promotion in supermarkets
As I mentioned yesterday, the responses to the UK consultation on Guidance Notes to accompany our new formula regulations have been published.
The baby food industry has objected to many provisions, including the recommendation that labels warn parents that powdered formula is not sterile and how to reduce the risks from possible contamination with harmful bacteria.
Here is something else the industry does not like. This is the British Retail Consortium:
---
We also feel that the guidance goes beyond the legislation suggesting best practice guidance. The purpose of the guidance should be made clear. We arespecifically concerned about paragraph 49 of the guidance which suggests that‘shelf-talkers’ and other in-store promotional devices for follow-on formulae are not used in the vicinity of infant formulae. We are especially concerned about the unreasonable suggestion that a follow-on formula has to be located in a different part of the store to infant formula. This is gold plating, as this is not laid down in the legislation. As best practice this proposal is completely unjustified.
---
Well, let's see why the authorities think it is justified. Here is an example of promotion in Tesco in Cambridge:
Companies use claims that are illegal on infant formula to draw attention to the formula section of supermarkets, in this case, Tesco.
The claim 'with prebiotic care to support you baby's natural immune system' is illegal on infant formula (for use from birth). When a similar expression was used in an advertisement for follow-on formula (for use from 6 months), the Advertising Standards Authority investigated and found it was not substantiated by scientific evidence.
This is the objection raised by the Infant and Dietetic Food Association (IDFA):
---
49 Goes beyond the legislation, the proposal to locate infant and follow-on formula in different parts of store may readily lead to confusion amongst parents who may start to introduce inappropriate foods and drinks to the diet of a six month old infant e.g. cows’ milk etc if the existence of follow-on formula is not clear to them. In addition, this is simply not practical in small stores like convenience stores, corner shops and pharmacies.
---
This argument is a little bizarre. The position of the World Health Assembly and the Department of Health is that follow-on formula is an unnecessary product. It was introduced as a strategy to by pass the marketing restrictions placed on infant formula. There is no reason why infant formula cannot be used beyond six months with the introduction of other foods if a child is not being breastfed.
If companies are concerned that parents may use cow's milk instead of follow-on formula after 6 months, then surely it makes more sense to put the follow-on formula with the cow's milk.
The real reason companies want to keep infant feeding products together is so promotion for follow-on formula also draws parents to the infant formula, similarly branded and labelled and on the same shelves. They also want to capture customers, so they progress from the infant formula, to the follow-on formula and complementary foods, all similarly branded. Our 2004 report Checks and Balances in the Global Economy contains the following:
---
The Sales Director of Cow and Gate/Milupa, Ian Thomas, is quoted as saying in 1997: ‘We suggest milk is merchandised on the left hand side of the fixture, followed closely by an early weaning block – jars and packet foods from 4 months – to stop mums drifting into home-made foods.’
---
Placing the follow-on formula elsewhere disrupts these marketing strategies, which could impact on how successfully companies undermine breastfeeding and cost the companies money. Which is their real concern.
The baby food industry has objected to many provisions, including the recommendation that labels warn parents that powdered formula is not sterile and how to reduce the risks from possible contamination with harmful bacteria.
Here is something else the industry does not like. This is the British Retail Consortium:
---
We also feel that the guidance goes beyond the legislation suggesting best practice guidance. The purpose of the guidance should be made clear. We arespecifically concerned about paragraph 49 of the guidance which suggests that‘shelf-talkers’ and other in-store promotional devices for follow-on formulae are not used in the vicinity of infant formulae. We are especially concerned about the unreasonable suggestion that a follow-on formula has to be located in a different part of the store to infant formula. This is gold plating, as this is not laid down in the legislation. As best practice this proposal is completely unjustified.
---
Well, let's see why the authorities think it is justified. Here is an example of promotion in Tesco in Cambridge:
Companies use claims that are illegal on infant formula to draw attention to the formula section of supermarkets, in this case, Tesco.
The claim 'with prebiotic care to support you baby's natural immune system' is illegal on infant formula (for use from birth). When a similar expression was used in an advertisement for follow-on formula (for use from 6 months), the Advertising Standards Authority investigated and found it was not substantiated by scientific evidence.
This is the objection raised by the Infant and Dietetic Food Association (IDFA):
---
49 Goes beyond the legislation, the proposal to locate infant and follow-on formula in different parts of store may readily lead to confusion amongst parents who may start to introduce inappropriate foods and drinks to the diet of a six month old infant e.g. cows’ milk etc if the existence of follow-on formula is not clear to them. In addition, this is simply not practical in small stores like convenience stores, corner shops and pharmacies.
---
This argument is a little bizarre. The position of the World Health Assembly and the Department of Health is that follow-on formula is an unnecessary product. It was introduced as a strategy to by pass the marketing restrictions placed on infant formula. There is no reason why infant formula cannot be used beyond six months with the introduction of other foods if a child is not being breastfed.
If companies are concerned that parents may use cow's milk instead of follow-on formula after 6 months, then surely it makes more sense to put the follow-on formula with the cow's milk.
The real reason companies want to keep infant feeding products together is so promotion for follow-on formula also draws parents to the infant formula, similarly branded and labelled and on the same shelves. They also want to capture customers, so they progress from the infant formula, to the follow-on formula and complementary foods, all similarly branded. Our 2004 report Checks and Balances in the Global Economy contains the following:
---
The Sales Director of Cow and Gate/Milupa, Ian Thomas, is quoted as saying in 1997: ‘We suggest milk is merchandised on the left hand side of the fixture, followed closely by an early weaning block – jars and packet foods from 4 months – to stop mums drifting into home-made foods.’
---
Placing the follow-on formula elsewhere disrupts these marketing strategies, which could impact on how successfully companies undermine breastfeeding and cost the companies money. Which is their real concern.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Responses to UK consultation on formula Guidance Notes published
Many thanks to everyone who sent messages regarding the UK Government's Guidance Notes for the new formula regulations, supporting our comments.
The Food Standards Agency has just published the responses with their comments. You can find these at:
http://www.food.gov.uk/consultations/consulteng/2007/infformnewguide07eng
There were 434 individual responses supporting our position.
Company responses are very telling. For example, the Infant and Dietetic Food Association is opposed to warning parents that powdered infant formula is not sterile and how to reduce the risks. It says:
---
We do not support the alternative wording proposed in the guidance notes on the grounds that this may be alarmist and not easily understood by the consumer. Such a warning statement could lead consumers to use inappropriate products such as other powdered milk or other liquids (not infant or follow-on formulae) which do not have such warnings
---
The FSA reply to this is:
---
FSA-funded focus group research found that caregivers were concerned that powder formula was not sterile. Overall, as it poses a potential risk to babies, parents and healthcare professionals agreed that information about non – sterility and what it means should be clearly communicated to parents, so that they can make informed decisions and choices.
---
Unfortunately the government has not made it a legal requirement for companies to put warnings on labels and instructions on how to reduce risks. So it seems unlikely that they will do so. Will it take more unnecessary deaths before the government takes action?
The Food Standards Agency has just published the responses with their comments. You can find these at:
http://www.food.gov.uk/consultations/consulteng/2007/infformnewguide07eng
There were 434 individual responses supporting our position.
Company responses are very telling. For example, the Infant and Dietetic Food Association is opposed to warning parents that powdered infant formula is not sterile and how to reduce the risks. It says:
---
We do not support the alternative wording proposed in the guidance notes on the grounds that this may be alarmist and not easily understood by the consumer. Such a warning statement could lead consumers to use inappropriate products such as other powdered milk or other liquids (not infant or follow-on formulae) which do not have such warnings
---
The FSA reply to this is:
---
FSA-funded focus group research found that caregivers were concerned that powder formula was not sterile. Overall, as it poses a potential risk to babies, parents and healthcare professionals agreed that information about non – sterility and what it means should be clearly communicated to parents, so that they can make informed decisions and choices.
---
Unfortunately the government has not made it a legal requirement for companies to put warnings on labels and instructions on how to reduce risks. So it seems unlikely that they will do so. Will it take more unnecessary deaths before the government takes action?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
WABA video contest 2008
We are a member of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA).
WABA ran a competition for film clips about breastfeeding and the theme of 'Going for Gold' for World Breastfeeding Week, to take place in August. WABA states: "In conjunction with the Olympics next August, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond."
It has posted the winning entries on its website at:
http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org/wbw2008_videocontest.htm
Here is one of the clips, from India.
WABA ran a competition for film clips about breastfeeding and the theme of 'Going for Gold' for World Breastfeeding Week, to take place in August. WABA states: "In conjunction with the Olympics next August, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond."
It has posted the winning entries on its website at:
http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org/wbw2008_videocontest.htm
Here is one of the clips, from India.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Study day on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
We work with the Emergency Nutrition Network to help ensure that responses to natural disasters and other emergency situations are appropriate when it comes to infant feeding.
Those of you directly involved in this area may be interested in the following study day in June at the Institute of Child Health, for which I am posting the announcement here:
---
BREASTFEEDING: PRACTICE AND POLICY COURSE 2008
Infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IFE)
Wednesday 25th June
Marie McGrath, Felicity Savage, Marko Kerac,
One purpose of the day is to introduce to policy makers and programme managers concerned with infant and young child feeding, the operational issues and special needs of populations in emergency situations. Another purpose will be to increase understanding among emergency relief workers about the practicalities of infant feeding in these settings. The day will also share how the work on IFE has developed, locate IFE in humanitarian initiatives and give practical pointers on where to locate key resources, materials and contacts on IFE.
The day will take as its starting point the Operational Guidance on IFE for Emergency Relief Staff and Programme Managers, and will cover the importance of the issue, policy, co-ordination, assessment, technical interventions and training needs in emergencies. Special infant feeding issues will also be addressed in the morning session, such as artificial feeding, and a collaborative effort to review and improve the management of infants with acute malnutrition. In the afternoon, participants will be asked to think through and discuss how to approach specific situations presented in the form of scenarios with reference to the Operational Guidance on IFE.
10 .00 Introduction and Overview of infant and young child feeding in emergencies
Operational Guidance and reference materials
11.00 Break
11.30 Special feeding challenges –
- Artificial feeding in emergencies
- Managing acute malnutrition in young infants (*MAMI Project)
12.30 Lunch
1.30 Working groups: questions on typical scenarios
2.30 Plenary discussion on the answers to scenario questions
1600 End
The Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) will participate in the day as a representative of the IFE Core Group, an international interagency concerned with policy guidance and capacity building on IFE.
*The MAMI Project is an ENN led project to review the management of acute malnutrition in infants, in collaboration with the Centre for International Health and Development (CIHD), and Action Contre la Faim (ACF).
For further information on the work of ENN and the MAMI project, visit www.ennonline.net
Fee £75 including sandwich lunch
If you are interested please contact info@ichevents.com
Those of you directly involved in this area may be interested in the following study day in June at the Institute of Child Health, for which I am posting the announcement here:
---
BREASTFEEDING: PRACTICE AND POLICY COURSE 2008
Infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IFE)
Wednesday 25th June
Marie McGrath, Felicity Savage, Marko Kerac,
One purpose of the day is to introduce to policy makers and programme managers concerned with infant and young child feeding, the operational issues and special needs of populations in emergency situations. Another purpose will be to increase understanding among emergency relief workers about the practicalities of infant feeding in these settings. The day will also share how the work on IFE has developed, locate IFE in humanitarian initiatives and give practical pointers on where to locate key resources, materials and contacts on IFE.
The day will take as its starting point the Operational Guidance on IFE for Emergency Relief Staff and Programme Managers, and will cover the importance of the issue, policy, co-ordination, assessment, technical interventions and training needs in emergencies. Special infant feeding issues will also be addressed in the morning session, such as artificial feeding, and a collaborative effort to review and improve the management of infants with acute malnutrition. In the afternoon, participants will be asked to think through and discuss how to approach specific situations presented in the form of scenarios with reference to the Operational Guidance on IFE.
10 .00 Introduction and Overview of infant and young child feeding in emergencies
Operational Guidance and reference materials
11.00 Break
11.30 Special feeding challenges –
- Artificial feeding in emergencies
- Managing acute malnutrition in young infants (*MAMI Project)
12.30 Lunch
1.30 Working groups: questions on typical scenarios
2.30 Plenary discussion on the answers to scenario questions
1600 End
The Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) will participate in the day as a representative of the IFE Core Group, an international interagency concerned with policy guidance and capacity building on IFE.
*The MAMI Project is an ENN led project to review the management of acute malnutrition in infants, in collaboration with the Centre for International Health and Development (CIHD), and Action Contre la Faim (ACF).
For further information on the work of ENN and the MAMI project, visit www.ennonline.net
Fee £75 including sandwich lunch
If you are interested please contact info@ichevents.com
Monday, May 26, 2008
New law for Saudi Arabia
Tomorrow a new law comes into force in Saudi Arabia implementing the World Health Assembly marketing requirements for baby foods.
According to the website Arab News:
"The law includes 28 articles regarding the marketing of baby milk, food substitutes, baby bottles and pacifiers. It also bans the advertising and the promotion of baby milk and food substitutes, including the offering of free samples at hospitals and clinics."
Free samples and promotional tactics, such as fliers for formula, are amongst the tactics found in monitoring conducted by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) in the Middle East in the past.
According to the website Arab News:
"The law includes 28 articles regarding the marketing of baby milk, food substitutes, baby bottles and pacifiers. It also bans the advertising and the promotion of baby milk and food substitutes, including the offering of free samples at hospitals and clinics."
Free samples and promotional tactics, such as fliers for formula, are amongst the tactics found in monitoring conducted by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) in the Middle East in the past.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Reality check at the Brazilian National Breastfeeding Conference
Today I am due to speak at Brazil's National Breastfeeding Conference about breastfeeding and corporations. As you can imagine I will be talking about the importance of the baby food marketing regulations adopted by the World Health Assembly, the results of monitoring that show these are being systematically broken where there are not enforced regulations and what we can do to change the situation.
I find these meetings refreshing, depressing, challenging and energising.
Refreshing because I have to spend far too much of my time trying to convince people there is a problem of aggressive baby food marketing that needs to be addressed, rather than mobilizing those who are already convinced. With companies such as Nestlé denying any wrong doing and using a wide range of strategies to persuade people it can sometimes be difficult. I call Nestlé strategy 'mid-point bias'. It relies on people thinking the truth must lie somewhere between its position and that of health advocates, such as Baby Milk Action. Nestlé has no qualms about being outright dishonest about its activities, whereas we stick to the truth (and if we couldn't stand by what we say about Nestlé then we would have been sued into bankruptcy long ago). So Nestlé moves the mod-point away from the reality. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2006/10/mid-point-bias.html
So the refreshing aspect of these meetings is I am with people who are familiar with what Nestlé and the other companies are doing, because it is part of their daily reality. Our focus is what needs to be done.
The opening address last night from Jean Pierre Allain was recalling the efforts that were made to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in Brazil - he was an advisor to the process. The industry tried to weaken the regulations, with Nestlé taking the lead and trying to undermine these, including through its financial support to the Paediatric Association. The regulations did come into force 20 years ago, though not as strongly as health advocates wanted. It has taken two revisions to make them as strong as they are today.
The Brazilian campaign is particularly strong, with members of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) coordinating training and monitoring activities across the country. IBFAN Brazil organises the National Breastfeeding Conference every two years and attracts typically over 1,000 participants and a strong programme of national and international experts. I feel very priviliged to be one of them.
I have written previously about how strong the regulations are here. The type of aggressive marketing we see in many other countries does not happen in Brazil. Here concerns are about warning labels on whole milks. We helped with a campaign last year as the industry tried to weaken the wording of the 'Ministry of Health Warning' on labels of whole milk, saying it should not be used for infant feeding. This has been changed to say 'Ministry of Health Information'. Viewed against strategies such as Nestlé's advertising of formula on the shelves in supermarkets in South Africa and it claims on labels that formula provides 'protection', this concern may seem much less serious.
But speaking to a Brazilian colleague, I realised once again why it is such a concern here. And this is where it gets depressing. The concern in many parts of Brazil, particularly the poorer parts, is not that parents are using formula rather than breastfeeding, because many cannot afford formula. It is that they are using unsuitable products such as whole milks and, mentioned time and time again, Nestlé Ninho powdered milk in particular, which is promoted for feeding young children with all sorts of claims of the benefits it will bring.
We have a campaign trying to stop Nestlé promoting Ninho in the infant feeding sections of pharmacies and supermarkets. Nestlé's response is that whole milk is not infant formula so there are not breaking any rules by promoting it in this way! Ninho is typically a third of the price of the infant formula on the shelf next to it and research has shown that in poor communities mothers who bottle feed are more likely to use milks like this than formula. Here is a picture I took in a pharmacy a few years ago, which is on our site at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/yqsanswered/yqanestle03.html
These practices continue and people here have to deal with the consequences.
They also want help in stopping them.
I am here in part to talk about the Nestlé boycott because it is seen by Brazilian campaigners as a particularly powerful support for their work in defence of infant health. The fact that Nestlé is one of the most boycotted companies on the planet makes it a little easier to counter its well-resourced lobbying.
I'll be showing the newspaper cutting of the action being taken on the Scottish Parliament mentioned here last week. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/05/express-boycott-article.html
That solidarity makes a real difference to people, as do the letter writing campaigns, exposés and everything else we, and you, do.
Which I find very energising.
Brazil is a success story in that breastfeeding rates have increased markedly over the past 20 years thanks to the marketing regulations and parallel efforts to promote and support breastfeeding. The median breastfeeding duration has gone from 3 months to 10 months.
It hasn't been easy and there are still challenges. There is a new attack on the baby food marketing regulations I am hearing about and to which we have to respond. I know now I'll have the energy to do it!
I find these meetings refreshing, depressing, challenging and energising.
Refreshing because I have to spend far too much of my time trying to convince people there is a problem of aggressive baby food marketing that needs to be addressed, rather than mobilizing those who are already convinced. With companies such as Nestlé denying any wrong doing and using a wide range of strategies to persuade people it can sometimes be difficult. I call Nestlé strategy 'mid-point bias'. It relies on people thinking the truth must lie somewhere between its position and that of health advocates, such as Baby Milk Action. Nestlé has no qualms about being outright dishonest about its activities, whereas we stick to the truth (and if we couldn't stand by what we say about Nestlé then we would have been sued into bankruptcy long ago). So Nestlé moves the mod-point away from the reality. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2006/10/mid-point-bias.html
So the refreshing aspect of these meetings is I am with people who are familiar with what Nestlé and the other companies are doing, because it is part of their daily reality. Our focus is what needs to be done.
The opening address last night from Jean Pierre Allain was recalling the efforts that were made to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in Brazil - he was an advisor to the process. The industry tried to weaken the regulations, with Nestlé taking the lead and trying to undermine these, including through its financial support to the Paediatric Association. The regulations did come into force 20 years ago, though not as strongly as health advocates wanted. It has taken two revisions to make them as strong as they are today.
The Brazilian campaign is particularly strong, with members of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) coordinating training and monitoring activities across the country. IBFAN Brazil organises the National Breastfeeding Conference every two years and attracts typically over 1,000 participants and a strong programme of national and international experts. I feel very priviliged to be one of them.
I have written previously about how strong the regulations are here. The type of aggressive marketing we see in many other countries does not happen in Brazil. Here concerns are about warning labels on whole milks. We helped with a campaign last year as the industry tried to weaken the wording of the 'Ministry of Health Warning' on labels of whole milk, saying it should not be used for infant feeding. This has been changed to say 'Ministry of Health Information'. Viewed against strategies such as Nestlé's advertising of formula on the shelves in supermarkets in South Africa and it claims on labels that formula provides 'protection', this concern may seem much less serious.
But speaking to a Brazilian colleague, I realised once again why it is such a concern here. And this is where it gets depressing. The concern in many parts of Brazil, particularly the poorer parts, is not that parents are using formula rather than breastfeeding, because many cannot afford formula. It is that they are using unsuitable products such as whole milks and, mentioned time and time again, Nestlé Ninho powdered milk in particular, which is promoted for feeding young children with all sorts of claims of the benefits it will bring.
We have a campaign trying to stop Nestlé promoting Ninho in the infant feeding sections of pharmacies and supermarkets. Nestlé's response is that whole milk is not infant formula so there are not breaking any rules by promoting it in this way! Ninho is typically a third of the price of the infant formula on the shelf next to it and research has shown that in poor communities mothers who bottle feed are more likely to use milks like this than formula. Here is a picture I took in a pharmacy a few years ago, which is on our site at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/yqsanswered/yqanestle03.html
These practices continue and people here have to deal with the consequences.
They also want help in stopping them.
I am here in part to talk about the Nestlé boycott because it is seen by Brazilian campaigners as a particularly powerful support for their work in defence of infant health. The fact that Nestlé is one of the most boycotted companies on the planet makes it a little easier to counter its well-resourced lobbying.
I'll be showing the newspaper cutting of the action being taken on the Scottish Parliament mentioned here last week. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/05/express-boycott-article.html
That solidarity makes a real difference to people, as do the letter writing campaigns, exposés and everything else we, and you, do.
Which I find very energising.
Brazil is a success story in that breastfeeding rates have increased markedly over the past 20 years thanks to the marketing regulations and parallel efforts to promote and support breastfeeding. The median breastfeeding duration has gone from 3 months to 10 months.
It hasn't been easy and there are still challenges. There is a new attack on the baby food marketing regulations I am hearing about and to which we have to respond. I know now I'll have the energy to do it!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Infants surviving on breastmilk in China earthquake
Just a quick mention here today of a link someone sent me with a couple of breastfeeding stories from the China earthquake. The heartbreaking story of a trapped mother who managed to sustain her baby through breastfeeding, though she died herself. And a police woman who has been acting as a wet nurse to some of the orphaned children. See:
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,165248,00.html
While obviously some infants will be in need of formula, relief agencies do not want you or the companies to send this. It is far better for it to be sourced locally, as I wrote yesterday.
Instead send money.
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,165248,00.html
While obviously some infants will be in need of formula, relief agencies do not want you or the companies to send this. It is far better for it to be sourced locally, as I wrote yesterday.
Instead send money.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Don't send formula to Burma or China
Disaster relief agencies have made it clear that they do not welcome donations of infant formula when responding to emergencies such as the cyclone in Burma and the earthquake in China.
To often donated formula is distributed without care and undermines breastfeeding. In addition labels are often in the wrong language. For those infants that do need to be formula fed it is far better for agencies to source formula locally and distribute it in a carefully targeted way.
So please don't send donations of formula. It is far better to send money.
If you are in the UK or other countries in the European Union it is actually illegal to export formula with labels in the wrong language.
We have worked closely with the Emergency Nutrition Network. See its website for appropriate responses at:
http://www.ennonline.net/ife/generalpublic/default.aspx
To often donated formula is distributed without care and undermines breastfeeding. In addition labels are often in the wrong language. For those infants that do need to be formula fed it is far better for agencies to source formula locally and distribute it in a carefully targeted way.
So please don't send donations of formula. It is far better to send money.
If you are in the UK or other countries in the European Union it is actually illegal to export formula with labels in the wrong language.
We have worked closely with the Emergency Nutrition Network. See its website for appropriate responses at:
http://www.ennonline.net/ife/generalpublic/default.aspx
Monday, May 19, 2008
Scottish boycott campaign and Nestlé demos
As our press release on the boycott demonstrations on Saturday mentioned, a member of the Scottish Parliament, Elaine Smith MSP, introduced a motion calling for a re-think of contracts awarded to Nestlé to supply bottled water.
According to a report in the Scottish Sunday Express (18 May) some of the 5 councils known to have contracts, worth a reported £ 5 million, are starting to do so. Indeed, one has responded to complaints about the supplier and already switched. We have seen previously that if a council assumes responsibility to provide bottled water and significant numbers of people object to it being sourced from Nestlé, the council has legitimate grounds to switch suppliers.
Here is the cutting from the paper (click on it for larger version):
As I said in my quote, used by the paper: "We are very grateful to the efforts of supporters of the boycott to keep Nestlé malpractice in the public eye. It makes a real difference to our work and that of our partners around the world, particularly when Nestlé is using its cheque book and connections to try to undermine the marketing standards introduced to regulate baby food marketing practices and protect infant health. "
Many thanks to everyone who went out leafleting. Please do send us pictures. Thanks to Jean Rowe for these from the demonstration at Nestlé (UK) HQ in Croydon.
According to a report in the Scottish Sunday Express (18 May) some of the 5 councils known to have contracts, worth a reported £ 5 million, are starting to do so. Indeed, one has responded to complaints about the supplier and already switched. We have seen previously that if a council assumes responsibility to provide bottled water and significant numbers of people object to it being sourced from Nestlé, the council has legitimate grounds to switch suppliers.
Here is the cutting from the paper (click on it for larger version):
As I said in my quote, used by the paper: "We are very grateful to the efforts of supporters of the boycott to keep Nestlé malpractice in the public eye. It makes a real difference to our work and that of our partners around the world, particularly when Nestlé is using its cheque book and connections to try to undermine the marketing standards introduced to regulate baby food marketing practices and protect infant health. "
Many thanks to everyone who went out leafleting. Please do send us pictures. Thanks to Jean Rowe for these from the demonstration at Nestlé (UK) HQ in Croydon.
Friday, May 16, 2008
No to Nestlé in the Scottish Parliament and at UK demonstrations
Today I have put out a press release about a 'No to Nestlé' campaign launched in the Scottish Parliament by Elaine Smith MSP, who is concerned about contracts for bottled water being awarded to the company. If you are in Scotland then why not ask your representative to sign Elaine's motion.
The press release also flags up the demonstrations taking place at Nestlé's UK HQ tomorrow and Body Shop outlets (Nestlé part owns Body Shop). You can download a file to make your own leaflets if you haven't ordered from Baby Milk Action. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/action/demo08.html
You can find the press release, with a quote and briefing document from Elaine Smith MSP, at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press17may08.html
The press release also flags up the demonstrations taking place at Nestlé's UK HQ tomorrow and Body Shop outlets (Nestlé part owns Body Shop). You can download a file to make your own leaflets if you haven't ordered from Baby Milk Action. See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/action/demo08.html
You can find the press release, with a quote and briefing document from Elaine Smith MSP, at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press17may08.html
Thursday, May 15, 2008
European Union may act over corporate lobbying
Today PR Week is reporting of possible action by the European Union for greater transparency on businesses lobbying it.
Baby Milk Action is given some of the credit for this. See:
http://www.prweek.com/uk/home/article/809247/FRONT-PAGE-Brussels-decision-lobbying-month/
---extract
---
That discovery was reported by the Independent on Sunday, as I mentioned yesterday. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/05/nestle-uk-government.html
It remains to be seen whether the European Union will introduce measures such as logging the contacts they have with business lobbyists.
A watchdog campaigning organisation, called Corporate European Observatory (CEO), tracks the influence of companies such as Nestlé on policy makers at the EU. See:
http://www.corporateeurope.org/
Baby Milk Action is given some of the credit for this. See:
http://www.prweek.com/uk/home/article/809247/FRONT-PAGE-Brussels-decision-lobbying-month/
---extract
The move follows intensive campaigning by health interest group Baby Milk Action, which alleges that food giant Nestlé has taken advantage of unclear lobbying and marketing codes to ‘sweet talk policy makers'.
‘Governments are too heavily influenced by Nestlé,' said Baby Milk Action policy director Patti Rundall.
In the UK, Nestlé is accused of targeting the Government with ‘sponsorship and free trips', to promote its powdered baby milk formula. Nestlé denied this. A spokeswoman said: ‘We are totally committed to the protection and promotion of breastfeeding.'
---
That discovery was reported by the Independent on Sunday, as I mentioned yesterday. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/05/nestle-uk-government.html
It remains to be seen whether the European Union will introduce measures such as logging the contacts they have with business lobbyists.
A watchdog campaigning organisation, called Corporate European Observatory (CEO), tracks the influence of companies such as Nestlé on policy makers at the EU. See:
http://www.corporateeurope.org/
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Nestle links to UK Department of Health
Firstly, many thanks to everyone who sent birthday wishes last week!
While having a kind of break, there were still things going on, not least because this is National Breastfeeding Awareness Week in the UK. There was a conference in London which Baby Milk Action attended on Monday. More about that later.
In the build up there was an article in the Independent on Sunday concerning the Members of Parliament that Nestlé took to South Africa in February. Regular readers of this blog will know that one of them, Tom Levitt MP, has since launched a campaign defending Nestlé practices in the country, which comes at a very sensitive time as the South African government is looking to strengthen regulations. It turns out one of the other MPs on the all-expenses-paid trip represents a UK Department of Health minister in Parliament. The Independent led on this in its article Breast vs bottle: the new battleground.
This opens: "Efforts to encourage more women to breastfeed are being threatened by "aggressive" lobbying directed at the Government by the baby milk manufacturing industry, campaigners warned yesterday. The powdered milk manufacturer Nestlé has forged formal links with the Department of Health and took a ministerial aide on an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa, The Independent on Sunday has discovered."
There is a quote from me: "Time and again we see Nestlé trying to ingratiate itself with health workers and policymakers through gifts, free trips, sponsorship and so-called partnerships. Surely the Government should not look to companies to fund and organise trips such as this. If there is a legitimate public interest in fact-finding in South Africa, it should be publicly funded."
The article did present the issue as 'Breast v. Bottle', missing the point that we are working to protect breastfeeding and babies fed on formula. The introduction to a discussion board accompanying the article similarly missed the point, stating:
"The government is considering calls to ban the big baby milk firms from promoting follow-on formula. But companies like Nestle are mounting fierce lobbying campaigns targeting the Department of Health as well as mums. Should Nestle be allowed to advertise and mums make their own minds up? Or should Nestle be reined in so the government can promote the message that breast is best?"
I commented as follows. See:
http://ios.typepad.com/ios/2008/05/the-battle-of-t.html
While having a kind of break, there were still things going on, not least because this is National Breastfeeding Awareness Week in the UK. There was a conference in London which Baby Milk Action attended on Monday. More about that later.
In the build up there was an article in the Independent on Sunday concerning the Members of Parliament that Nestlé took to South Africa in February. Regular readers of this blog will know that one of them, Tom Levitt MP, has since launched a campaign defending Nestlé practices in the country, which comes at a very sensitive time as the South African government is looking to strengthen regulations. It turns out one of the other MPs on the all-expenses-paid trip represents a UK Department of Health minister in Parliament. The Independent led on this in its article Breast vs bottle: the new battleground.
This opens: "Efforts to encourage more women to breastfeed are being threatened by "aggressive" lobbying directed at the Government by the baby milk manufacturing industry, campaigners warned yesterday. The powdered milk manufacturer Nestlé has forged formal links with the Department of Health and took a ministerial aide on an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa, The Independent on Sunday has discovered."
There is a quote from me: "Time and again we see Nestlé trying to ingratiate itself with health workers and policymakers through gifts, free trips, sponsorship and so-called partnerships. Surely the Government should not look to companies to fund and organise trips such as this. If there is a legitimate public interest in fact-finding in South Africa, it should be publicly funded."
The article did present the issue as 'Breast v. Bottle', missing the point that we are working to protect breastfeeding and babies fed on formula. The introduction to a discussion board accompanying the article similarly missed the point, stating:
"The government is considering calls to ban the big baby milk firms from promoting follow-on formula. But companies like Nestle are mounting fierce lobbying campaigns targeting the Department of Health as well as mums. Should Nestle be allowed to advertise and mums make their own minds up? Or should Nestle be reined in so the government can promote the message that breast is best?"
I commented as follows. See:
http://ios.typepad.com/ios/2008/05/the-battle-of-t.html
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Nestle UK demo Saturday 17 May 2008
As highlighted in our last newsletter, the annual demonstration at Nestlé (UK) HQ in Croydon will take place on 17 May 2008 from 11:00 to 12:00.
This marks the anniversary of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981. Nestlé violates the Code more than any other company, which is why it is the target of the boycott.
You can find out more on our website and also find ideas of what to do if you can't make it to Croydon. You can let us know you are coming via a form on the site, or just turn up on the day. Also if you fancy leafleting somewhere else, such as a Body Shop outlet (Nestlé owns 28.8% of L'Oreal, the owner of Body Shop). See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/action/demo08.html
We had thought of holding International Nestlé-Free Week during the same week, but it did not prove suitable for some of the other countries that mark this week. It will instead be held in the week ending 4 October, to mark the 20th anniversary of the launch of the boycott, which is the best supported in the UK. Nestlé is now one of the four most boycotted companies on the planet. For more information on the boycott and the impact it has in stopping Nestlé malpractice see:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/boycott/nestlefree.html
The 17 May comes at the end of UK National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. I'll write more about some of the events taking place during the week tomorrow.
This marks the anniversary of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981. Nestlé violates the Code more than any other company, which is why it is the target of the boycott.
You can find out more on our website and also find ideas of what to do if you can't make it to Croydon. You can let us know you are coming via a form on the site, or just turn up on the day. Also if you fancy leafleting somewhere else, such as a Body Shop outlet (Nestlé owns 28.8% of L'Oreal, the owner of Body Shop). See:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/action/demo08.html
We had thought of holding International Nestlé-Free Week during the same week, but it did not prove suitable for some of the other countries that mark this week. It will instead be held in the week ending 4 October, to mark the 20th anniversary of the launch of the boycott, which is the best supported in the UK. Nestlé is now one of the four most boycotted companies on the planet. For more information on the boycott and the impact it has in stopping Nestlé malpractice see:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/boycott/nestlefree.html
The 17 May comes at the end of UK National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. I'll write more about some of the events taking place during the week tomorrow.
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---comment on Indy discussion board
This question is a little misleading. Health advocates such as Baby Milk Action have been calling for government action to protect breastfeeding AND to protect babies fed on formula. So-called 'information' provided by companies is always idealizing and often inaccurate. For example, companies boast of the benefits of LCPs and prebiotics in formula, yet independent analysis of the research by bodies such as the respected Cochrane Library finds the claims are not supported. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2006/10/health-claims-goldmine.html
Companies are fighting against requirements that they warn parents who do use powdered formula that it is not sterile and the simple steps that can be followed to reduce the risks from possible intrinsic contamination with harmful bacteria.
For parents to be able to make up their own mind they need accurate, independent information, not company propaganda.
A good illustration of the issue and the dangers of Nestle-funded trips, is the situation in South Africa. One of the MPs on that trip, Tom Levitt MP, has launched a campaign attempting to persuade people Nestle follows high standards in its marketing of infant formula and is defending the company's advertising and labelling in South Africa. This is despite the fact that the Department of Health in South Africa has said Nestle's claims for its NAN infant formula break national labeling laws:
"statements such as "optimal physical and mental development", "activate your baby's immune defences" and "strengthen your baby's natural defences" as indicated on the labels are just some examples of prohibited statements on NAN 1 and 2".
Babies fed on formula are denied the protection from infection provided by breastmilk and so more likely to become sick and in conditions of poverty more likely to die. Those that are fed with formula would be less at risk if Nestle brought warnings and instructions into line with those called for by the World Health Assembly.
The South African government is currently trying to introduce strengthened regulations and it is a disgrace that Tom Levitt, who has also enjoyed free tickets to Wimbledon tennis competition from Nestle, is undermining their efforts. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-south-africa-says.html
We have requested a meeting with Mr. Levitt many times, so far without success.