International Code

The Code seeks to encourage and protect breastfeeding by regulating marketing practices used to sell products for artificial feeding

The Code applies to: artificial milks for babies; other products used to feed babies, especially when they are marketed for use in a feeding bottle or to babies under six months of age. The Code also applies to feeding bottles and teats.

The Code includes these 10 important provisions:

• No advertising of any of these products to the public.
• No free samples to mothers.
• No promotion of products in health care facilities, including the distribution of free or low-cost supplies.
• No company sales representatives to advise mothers.
• No gifts or personal samples to health workers.
• No word or pictures idealising artificial feeding, or pictures of infants on labels of infant milk containers.
• Information to health workers should be scientific and factual.
• All information on artificial infant feeding, including that on labels, should explain the benefits of breastfeeding, and the costs and hazards associated with artificial feeding.
• Unsuitable products, such as sweetened condensed milk, should not be promoted for babies.
• To avoid conflict of interest, health professionals working in infant and young child health should not receive financial support from infant food companies.
• Manufacturers and distributers should comply with the Code's provisions even if countries have not adopted laws or other measures.