Desperate parents are stealing infant formula, watering it down or weaning their babies early in response to soaring prices, charities are warning.
Powdered first infant formulas increased in cost by an average of 24 per cent between March 2021 and April 2023, according to research by First Steps Nutrition Trust.
Susan Westland, senior nutritionist at First Steps Nutrition Trust, says, ‘Manufacturers have claimed that they are increasing the price of their formula milks as a response to increased costs to them in producing, storing and transporting their products and in the cost of raw materials.’ She adds that three factors call into question the justifiability of the price rises:
Wide variations in prices of nutritionally comparable infant formulas (they must all meet strict regulations on nutrition composition) – the trust’s August 2023 cost report shows the average cost per 800g/tin of the seven main brand powdered infant formula milks is £14.36, but they range in price from £9.75 to £19, and the single own-brand product costs £9.39 per 900g/tin.
- Differing rates of price increases between brands.
- Nearly double the percentage increase in the value of sales than the percentage increase in the volume of sales.
‘It is important to note that there are some signs that the rising cost of formula milks, at least at the retail level, is slowing as some major retailers have cut the cost of the formula milks they sell,’ says Westland. ‘Although it would be more appropriate for manufacturers to reduce the cost of their infant formula products, or for the UK Government to intervene with meaningful price caps, this is good news for parents struggling to afford infant formula.’
Prices have risen by so muchthat the Government’s Healthy Start allowance (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland), which is meant to support families to access infant formula and other foods, no longer covers the full cost of weekly formula, leaving some parents to struggle during the current cost-of-living crisis.
Despite the risk posed to children’s health, the value of the Healthy Start allowance has not increased in line with inflation, unlike other Government benefits. In contrast, the value of Best Start funds in Scotland increased in line with inflation by 10.1 per cent in April.
UNSAFE PRACTICES
Some parents are resorting to adding solids such as baby rice to formula, watering it down or delaying feeding their baby in order to eke out their supply, while others are moving to cow’s milk before their child is developmentally ready. Health professionals are warning that these practices are unsafe and can have life-long implications for babies.
‘This is a huge risk to children’s health given that where breastfeeding is not chosen or possible, infant formula before the age of six months is the only option parents have and is a key source of both calories and other essential micronutrients between six months and the age of one,’ warns Anna Taylor, executive director of The Food Foundation. ‘Attempts by parents to cut costs come with extremely worrying health risks.’
Westland agrees and outlines various risks, including babies’ kidneys not being mature enough to manage whole cows’ milk as a main drink under the age of one, which can cause serious illness. She adds, ‘Infants should be introduced to solid foods at around six months of age; this is when they will be developmentally ready to cope with foods other than breastmilk or formula milk.’
Introducing solid foods too early has been shown to increase the risk of iron-deficiency anaemia and may also be associated with an increased risk of overweight in childhood.
‘Adding cereal to a baby’s milk thickens it. This can increase the risk of choking and also interferes with the mechanisms that control the sensation of feeling full, which can then have a negative impact on body weight,’ Westland says.
CALL FOR ACTION
‘We need urgent action from the Government to increase the value of Healthy Start funds in line with inflation, and more action from retailers to support their customers,’ says Taylor.
Organisations, including The Food Foundation and First Steps Nutrition Trust, are calling on the Government to urgently improve the Healthy Start scheme to ensure that it acts as a nutrition ‘safety net’ as it was intended, including:
- increasing the value of the allowance in line with food inflation, with regular reviews
- expanding eligibility to include more low-income families, and to support children in those families until five years of age
- improving access, including through switching to an opt-out enrolment
- supporting the scheme to meet its nutrition objectives, including through provision of information, guidance and support to beneficiaries on healthy eating.
‘While this would provide some immediate support for families facing difficult feeding decisions, we welcome the forthcoming investigation of the Competition and Markets Authority into how formula companies are pricing their products, and hope this will leadto a more sustainable approach to addressing pricing for all families who need it,’ says Westland.
How to support families
If you are working with parents who are struggling to afford infant formula, there are various ways that you can help:
- Give advice on formula. Westland says messages should include:
- All infant formulas are nutritionally adequate and there is no need to buy more expensive infant formulas.
- Growing-up milks and toddler milks are all unnecessary.
- Infant formula marketed for reflux, colic and constipation and for babies who are lactose-intolerant may be more expensive than brand-equivalent standard infant formulas, may have no benefit, could cause harm, and should only be used under medical supervision.
- Warn against diluting, padding out or reducing the frequency of formula feeds, using information from the NHS Start for Life (see Further information).
- Signpost to guidelines on how to make up formula (see Further information).
- Support to get additional help. All local authorities should have an emergency formula provision pathway in place under Unicef guidelines.
- Signpost to relevant local food banks and baby banks. Be aware that not all food banks offer formula or can guarantee having the correct formula available as they rely on donations. Lynda Battarbee, director of operations at the Trussell Trust, explains, ‘Food banks in our network are all independent, local charities. Many may operate slightly differently depending on their local context and, as such, they may choose to adapt any guidance from us as needed.’
- The charities Feed and Little Village HQ have compiled maps of baby banks that offer emergency formula (see Further information).
FURTHER INFORMATION