Policy.2C industry and marketing Infant formula

1 policy, industry , marketing

1.1 international
1.2 country

1.2.1 philippines
1.2.2 south africa
1.2.3 united kingdom
1.2.4 united states

policy, industry , marketing

the policy, regulatory , industry environments surrounding infant formula market vary tremendously between countries.

international

the international code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes international health policy framework adopted world health assembly of in 1981 regarding infant formula marketing, including strict restrictions on advertising. implementation depends on laws of different countries , behavior of infant formula manufacturers – code has no power itself. legislation , corporate behavior vary between countries: @ least 84 countries have enacted national legislation implementing or many of provisions of code , 14 countries have draft laws awaiting adoption; whereas elsewhere neither code nor principles followed governments or formula manufacturers.

practices banned in code include advertising, claiming health benefits formula, , giving free samples women able breastfeed – latter practice particularly criticized because can interfere lactation, creating dependence on formula. in many countries free samples of infant formula have been provided hospitals decades; infant formula product routinely provided free of charge hospitals. baby friendly hospital initiative aims reduce , eliminate controversial practice.

by country
philippines

infant formula 1 of top 3 consumer commodities in philippines, , among imported products. annual sales amount us$469 million annually. us$88 million spent on advertising product.

infant formula marketing has been regulated since 1987 executive order 51 or milk code , regulated, did not ban, practices such advertising , providing free samples. shortly after enacted, wyeth introduced follow-on formula , not in purview of milk code predated market entry.

in 2006, department of health banned advertising of infant formula , practice of providing free samples, regardless of intended age group (in revised implementing rules , regulations of executive order 51, or rirr). new regulation challenged infant formula industry in supreme court. challenge dismissed, decision reversed following industry pressure , controversial letter american business leader thomas donahue, president , ceo of chamber of commerce, resulting in regulation being suspended , advertising continuing.

south africa

in south africa, there move towards plain packaging of infant formula under r 991 of foodstuffs, cosmetics , disinfectants act; of 6 december 2013, regulation 7 (sale , promotion) force, whereas regulations 2-6 (primarily respect labelling) scheduled come force on 6 december 2014. 1 of key requirements per regulation 3.1.a.iii conspicuous message stating “[t]his product shall used on advice of health professional”.

united kingdom

in united kingdom, infant formula advertising has been illegal since 1995, advertising follow-on formula legal, has been cited loophole allowing advertising of similarly-packaged formula.

united states

in united states, infant formula both heavily marketed – country has not adopted code, nor being systematically implemented manufacturers domestic marketing – , heavily subsidized government: @ least 1 third of american market supported government, on half of infant formula sold in country provided through special supplemental nutrition program women, infants, , children (known wic).

according surveys, on 70% of large u.s. hospitals dispense infant formula infants, practice opposed american academy of pediatrics , in violation of code. gerber products company began marketing brand of infant formula directly public in october 1989, while carnation company began marketing start infant formula directly public in january 1991.

infant formula costs significant fraction of wic program costs: 21% post-rebate , 46% pre-rebate. formula manufacturers granted wic monopoly in individual states. meanwhile, breastfeeding rates substantially lower wic recipients; partly attributed formula being free of charge mothers in wic program, of lower socio-economic status. violations of federal policy have been found in terms of infant formula company advertising using wic trademark, reach both wic , non-wic participants. in recent years wic has been expanding breastfeeding promotion strategies, including providing subsidies clients use milk banks.