Samples and gifts to mothers

Companies are breacking the rules by ...

providing samples and/or gifts to mother at the retail lever or by direct mailings.

International Code:

Articles 5.2 y 5.4

Manufacturers and distributors should not provide samples to pregnant women, mothers or members of their families, nor distribute gifts which may promote the use of breastmilk substitutes or bottle feeding.

Samples

In Malaysia, Milupa packages containing samples of Milupa drinks, complementary foods for infants of "about 4 months", and a Milupa "Child in Car" sticker, are handed out in a clothes boutique for pregnant women. The pack includes a promotional leaflet on Milupa Herbal Drinks, recommended for use as an "everyday drink for babies and adults". A Milupa Menu "For Your Baby’s Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner", advertising Milupa complementary foods is also included.

Milupa hands out complementary foods even before the baby is born.

In Malaysia, Milupa packages containing samples of Milupa drinks, complementary foods for infants of "about 4 months", and a Milupa "Child in Car" sticker, are handed out in a clothes boutique for pregnant women. The pack includes a promotional leaflet on Milupa Herbal Drinks, recommended for use as an "everyday drink for babies and adults". A Milupa Menu "For Your Baby’s Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner", advertising Milupa complementary foods is also included.

In Germany, samples are distributed by Nestlé, Milupa, Hipp and Humana via direct mailings to parents.

In Côte d’Ivoire, Nestlé gives Cerelac and Guigoz samples, Nutrexpa provides Blevit samples and Danone/Diepal provides samples of Gallia, Pre-Galia and Bledina.

Free samples of Nutrexpa’s Blevit gluten-free cereals for infants from 3-4 months, intended for mothers were found to be on sale at a retail outlet in Côte d’Ivoire. Samples are also known to be sold in Pakistan.

Other companies which offer samples to mothers outside the health care system include Abbott Ross (Guatemala, Dominican Rep.), Holle (Germany), Maeil (Korea), Mead Johnson (Thailand), Nam Yang (Korea), Ordesa (Spain), Sandoz (Spain) y Wyeth (Venezuela).

Gifts

In Nicaragua, Guatemala and Bolivia, Gerber gifts include bottles, bibs, nappies and bags with accessories, with the purchase of selected products.

In Argentina, Nestlé arranges for babies in some stores to be photographed, and offers the photos free of charge to the mothers, together with Nestum brochures which recommend the product for use from 4 months.

This Nestlé Cerelac T-shirt was given to a mother in Gabon..

En Argentina también, la empresa láctea Mastellone regala a las madres un video llamado "Guía Feliz para el primer año de vida", en el cual dos pediatras recalcan la necesidad de dar al bebé otras leches además de la leche materna. Sugieren leches enteras y demuestran cómo se prepara el biberón con leche y cómo se hacen alimentos complementarios. La información que entregan sobre la lactancia materna es bastante engañosa.

Also in Argentina, Mastellone, a general dairy company, gives mothers a video entitled "Guia Feliz para el primer ao de vida" (happy guide for the first year). In the video, two paediatricians emphasize the need for babies to use other milk in addition to breastmilk. They then propose full cream milks, and go on to demonstrate how to prepare bottles for milk and complementary feeds. The information they provide about breastfeeding is quite misleading.

Other companies which offer gifts to mothers outside the healt care system include Abbott Ross (Korea), Alter (Spain), Danone/Diepal (Mauritius, Spain), Milupa (Germany), Morinaga (Indonesia), Nam Yang (Korea), Nutricia/Cow & Gate (Indonesia), Ordesa (Spain) y Watties (W. Samoa).

Promotion to the public
Advertisements in the mass media | Point-of-sale promotion | Contact between marketing personnel and mothers