Stop Formula Milk Producers from Marketing their Products Illegaly!

There is a very important ongoing campaign in Lebanon to Stop Formula Milk Producers from Marketing their Products Illegaly! Join the Facebook group!

The main aim of this group is to RAISE AWARENESS about the RISKS OF BABY AND YOUNG CHILD FORMULA MILK in Lebanon and other countries.

The NORMAL, NATURAL and BEST food for babies is breastmilk. This is what common sense tells us and science confirms. Unfortunately, through a century of very successful marketing, the producers of formula milk have convinced the world that formula milk is a great substitute for mother’s milk (UNTRUE), making it very difficult for mothers to successfully establish breastfeeding due to the pressure this misconception creates.

Lebanon has a law, Law 47/2008 entitled “Organizing the Marketing of Baby and Young Child Feeding Products and Tools”, which FORBIDS ALL FORMULA MILK-PRODUCING COMPANIES FROM MARKETING THEIR PRODUCTS IN ANY WAY. The reason is that formula milk carries with it a very large set of risks for baby and mother’s health and development, and should not be used unless strictly necessary (which is the case very exceptionally).

Despite the law, FORMULA COMPANIES ARE BEING ALLOWED TO FREELY ADVERTISE AND MARKET THEIR MILK FORMULA ALMOST ANYWHERE THEY WISH. Hospitals are a particularly shocking location where they manage to influence new mothers by paying hospitals, doctors and nurses to distribute their milk samples to the mothers, even if at the same time they might (or might not) be explaining the importance of breastfeeding. Many parents have experienced how nurses will feed their babies formula milk even if the parents explicitly say they do not wish this!

Also according to the law, formula milk should be sold with warnings about the risks it entails for the health of babies and mothers, as with any medication. However, the list is very scary and, if formula companies did this, few parents would actually decide to give their child formula milk unless completely necessary. Some of the known risks associated with formula feeding are:

-FOR BABIES: obesity, asthma, allergies, ear infections, heart disease and high blood pressure, lower IQ and cognitive development, respiratory infections, Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS), iron-deficiency anaemia, diabetes, digestive problems, childhood cancers, dental problems and malocclusions, exposure to environmental contaminants (recalls), childhood cancers.

-FOR MOTHERS: diabetes, overweight and obesity, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, osteoporosis, hypertensive and cardiovascular diseases, reduced child spacing (having children more frequently because they do not enjoy the contraceptive effects of breastfeeding).

What we wish to achieve is to STOP FORMULA COMPANIES FROM MARKETING THEIR PRODUCTS IN LEBANON. Our first battle was won when, in May 2013, Light FM were made aware of the illegality of advertising Apta Junior (Danone) formula milk and they decided to cancel the advertising contract. Our second battle was won in June 2013, when Novalac (a formula milk company) was pressurized to cancel their nutrition workshop.

We can only hope ALL MEDIA and ADVERTISING COMPANIES will follow these wonderful examples and support all breastfeeding mums and babies in Lebanon!

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If anyone sees or hears any advertisements or publicity for baby and young child* food products and/or tools, denounce it here, post pictures or links if you have any!

As a reminder, as per Law 47, these are the products that CANNOT be advertised:

a. infant formula

b. follow-up formula

c. any other product marketed or otherwise represented as suitable for feeding infants and young children up to the age of three years

d. feeding bottles, teats, and pacifiers

*The Law defines an infant as a child of 0-12 months and a Young Child as being between 12 and 36 months old.