- New government measures to curb the cost of living will help
families buy more affordable baby formula
- Money back in parents' pockets with loyalty points and
vouchers
- Changes are part of the government's upcoming Child Poverty
Strategy to give every child the best start in life
Parents will save up to £500 a year as government action on how
baby formula is displayed will help them choose the lower price
infant formula that is right for them.
It comes ahead of the release of the government's Child Poverty
Strategy, which follows the major move by the Chancellor to lift
450,000 children out of poverty in the Budget.
The changes will help those who cannot - or choose not - to
breastfeed their babies to provide them with the best
possible start in life, alleviate child poverty and put hundreds
of pounds back in parents' pockets.
It follows a detailed market study from the Competition and
Markets Authority (CMA) which found families opted for more
expensive products and could be influenced by messaging on
packaging that may be hard to verify.
Supermarkets and retailers will also get updated guidance,
confirming the products can be bought using gift cards, vouchers,
loyalty points, and coupons – giving parents extra savings.
Speaking at PMQs, Prime Minister said:
Mr Speaker, Our budget took important measures to tackle the cost
of living. That's why we have frozen rail fares, prescription
charges and cut energy bills for every family by £150.
Today, we are going further. For too long, parents have
been pushed into spending more on infant formula than needed -
told they're paying for better quality and left hundreds of
pounds out of pocket.
I can announce today that we are changing that. We will take
action to give parents and carers the confidence to access infant
formula at more affordable prices.
With clearer guidance for retailers and helping new parents use
loyalty points and vouchers, together that will save them up to
£500 before their child's first birthday.
That builds on our action to lift over half a million children
out of poverty, extending free breakfast clubs and our Child
Poverty Strategy will be published later this week.
The measures in the publication today will most benefit lower
income families and is one part of the wider Child Poverty
Strategy set be announced shortly.
Getting the right nutrition is vital in ensuring a baby's healthy
growth and development.
The CMA found many parents ‘naturally wanting to do what is best
for their baby' would ‘actively choose a more expensive product,
assuming this means better quality'.
However, NHS advice confirms it does not matter which brand you
choose, they'll all meet your baby's nutritional needs,
regardless of price because ‘by law, all infant formula sold in
the UK must meet the same standards, which means they are all
suitable for your baby's growth and development'.
The action starting today will give parents and carers who cannot
- or choose not - to breastfeed their babies the confidence to
choose lower priced infant formula products which all meet the
nutritional needs of their baby.
Alongside this we are investing £18.5 million this year in infant
feeding services and breastfeeding through the Family Hubs and
Start for Life programme. The programme provides funding to 75
local authorities in England with high levels of deprivation and
aims to improve health outcomes and tackle health inequalities.
We have also extended the National Breastfeeding helpline to
provide round-the-clock support for families across the UK.
Health and Social Care Secretary, said:
New parents want the best for their baby, and it's wrong
that vague on-pack messages are leaving families out of
pocket for an essential product.
It's not right that manufacturers have been able to package up
these products in a way that plays on the instincts of new mums
and dads who are just trying to do what's right for their child.
These new measures mean parents will have confidence in the
formula they are buying, no matter the price, and can now make
the most of supermarket loyalty schemes too.
It will put hundreds of pounds back into the pockets of parents,
who can spend that money on their child, their siblings or
household essentials - and is just one of the ways this
government will end child poverty.
We are considering further support on enforcement and working
closely across the devolved governments and with local
authorities, to update guidance on how these products are
marketed.
The UK, Scottish and Welsh governments, Food Standards Scotland,
and the Department of Health and Food Standards Agency in
Northern Ireland are committed to working closely, in
consultation with stakeholders, on this package and will keep
this package of measures under review and consider whether
further action is required in the future.
