FEEDING BOTTLES AND TEATS

Companies are breaking the rules by ...

largely ignoring the provisions of the International Code and using the mass media, retail outlets or the health care system to promote bottles and teats. They are also breaking the rules with labels that do not provide the necessary information about the appropriate use of the product, or that discourage breastfeeding.

Chart 12 shows companies which promote bottles and teats directly to the general public or through health care facilities, as well as companies whose labels do not comply with Article 9.1.

Other companies which promote bottles and teats to the public or within the health care system or have inadequate labels include: Abbott Ross (Nicaragua), Amigo (Samoa Occ.), Ansa (Brazil), Ardek (Germany), Asti (Mauritius), Aurrera (México), Baby Club (Samoa Occ.), Baby Nova (Germany), Bamba (Brazil), Bambino (Mauritius), Boryung (Korea), Continente (Spain), Continua (Germany), Danone (Spain), Dodie (Mauritius), Dumex (Thailand), Hasbro (Samoa Occ.), Helly (Germany), Huki (Indonesia), ICO (Spain), Infan-tec (Argentina), Japlo (Malasia), Lailla (Brazil), Lillo (Brazil), Maeil (Korea), Mammi (Venezuela), Meda Sell (Spain), Mimiflo (Philippines), Mothercare (Mauritius), Nam Yang (Korea), Nenuco (República Dominicana), Neopan (Brazil), Philusa (Philippines), Playtex (Perú), Remond (Níger), Royal Industries (Kenia), Sakura (Samoa Occ.), Suavinex (Spain), Tomee Tippee (Kenia), Tupperware (Brazil), Turia Sa (Perú) y WKS Gmbh (Germany).

Although Article 5.1 clearly prohibits promotion to the general public, companies continue to advertise bottles and teats in the mass media and at points-of sale, provide samples, discount coupons and other such sales inducements to promote bottles and teats to the general public.

In Uruguay, a front wall of a pharmacy has been painted with a Babelito advertisement depicting a bottle and the text: "Babelito, un amor irresistible" (Babelito, an irresistible love). Bolivian pharmacies display Babelito posters with the same caption.

A Chicco magazine for parents, found in Bolivia and Argentina, shows an idealizing image of bottle feeding on the cover, and advertises all Chicco products inside. [Don’t say idealizing image: describe what the image is]

Companies that manufacture and sell bottles and teats also use health care facilities to promote their products. For example, Nam Yang and Maeil supply hospitals in Korea with free feeding bottles. So do Johnson & Johnson in Brazil, and Baby Huki in Indonesia. Mothers who deliver at certain hospitals in Thailand receive a free feeding bottles from Pur. Curity feeding bottles are advertised via wall clocks in health care facilities in Mexico, and Chicco wall stickers can be seen in hospitals in Venezuela.

Farlin and Pur advertisements in Thai magazines, for feeding bottles and steam sterilisers.

A special display of Lillo products in Uruguay

Gerber in Colombia offers discount coupons for disposable bottles

A Pigeon promotional leaflet in South Africa

As far as the labelling of bottles and teats are concerned, Article 9.1 provides that labels should be designed to provide the necessary information about the appropriate use of the product, and so as not to discourage breastfeeding. This means, at the very least, that feeding bottles and teats should have a label, which is not always the case. The label should include clear and understandable instructions for cleaning and sterilisation as well as a message about the superiority of breastfeeding. Ideally, such labels should also warn about how bottle feeding interfere’s with breastfeeding and should not use images that idealise bottle feeding.

A Playtex leaflet in the USA

An Evenflo leaflet distributed in hospitals in México
advertises its range of products.

The Avent feeding bottle in Brazil has a picture of a mother bottle feeding her baby on one side, and of father and baby on the other side of the package. Although the preparation instructions are in Spanish and Portuguese, the warning is only in English and situated on the base of the box..

The package of the Heinz Camera New-Safe decorated feeding bottle in the Dominican Republic carries only the briefest warning, in English, that the bottle should be sterilised before and after use and the nipple should be replaced if cracked.

Main | Introduction | Executive Summary | Promotion through the Health Care System | Promotion to the Public
Labelling | Stretching the Rules | Appendix