Health brief: The battle of baby milk formula marketing

 

As more young children than ever are given commercial milk formula (CMF) in addition to, or in place of, breastfeeding, experts have called for stricter controls against exploitative CMF marketing alongside stronger maternity protections.

In 1974, a controversial report, The Baby Killer, accused Nestlé of causing illness and infant deaths through its promotion and sale of powdered baby milk in low and middle-income countries.

The report’s author, Mike Muller, looked at reasons why mothers were turning away from breastfeeding and condemned CMF companies’ aggressive marketing practices: from using ‘fake nurses’ to make persuasive home visits, to false claims that using formula instead of breast milk will make children healthier, happier, or stronger.  (...)