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21 May 2006: Companies violate the 25-year-old marketing code
The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly
on 21 May 1981.
25 years later, over 70 countries have implemented the Code and subsequent, relevant Resolutions
either fully or partially in legislation.
Independently of government measures, companies are required to ensure their practices at every level are
in accordance with the provisions of the Code and Resolutions. Monitoring by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) finds that violations remain systematic and institutionalised in those countries where they are not stopped by independently monitored and enforced legislation. Examples can be seen in the reports in the ´Code Watch´ section.
Violations continue to be reported by IBFAN groups as an on-going activity. Some examples are given below. Further examples will be added to this list during the 59th World Health Assembly, which is reviewing
progress in implementing and enforcing the Code and Resolutions.
You can access a high resolution version of some images by clicking on those shown here.
- Nestle in China - Nestle launched ´Nutrition Corners´ in retail outlets in China at the end of 2005, promoting milks for babies and targeting pregnant and lactating women with supplements. Globally Nestle is found to be responsible for more violations of the Code and Resolutions than any other company. See IBFAN´s Breaking the Rules reports.
- Targetting mothers in Slovakia - Nestle distributes pamphlets promoting its Beba infant and follow-on formulas to mothers, making idealizing health claims.
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* Gift for mothers in Slovakia - a children´s story book featuring Nestle´s blue bear baby food logo. |
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- Despite claiming it would stop promoting complementary foods for use from too early an age (in accordance with World Health Assembly Resolution 47.5 from 1994, which called for complementary feeding to be fostered from 6 months), Nestle continues to give an age of use of 4 months in some countries. This pamphlet on infant feeding for mothers was distributed in Slovakia in 2005.
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* Nestle in Hungary - The Nestle pamphlets shown below were found being distributed to mothers in April 2006. They include promotion for Beba 2 follow-on formula, which has the same name and packaging as the infant formula.
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- Nestle in Hungary - The Nestle pamphlet also promotes complementary foods for use from 4 months of age, in breach of violation 47.5 from 1994 and Nestle´s own undertaking to stop promoting complementary foods for use before 6 months.
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- Hipp in Hungary - In April 2006, Hipp was distributing a pamphlet to mother promoting
infant teas for use with young infants.
* Violations in the UK - prior and during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week (14-20 May 2006)
companies were advertising breastmilk substitutes on television and in magazines, offering mothers vouchers and digital cameras to sign up to receive company mailings and targeting health workers with gifts and
VIP trips. Company representatives target mothers in supermarkets and clinics (below, NUMICO promotes Cow & Gate formula in Wal-Mart/ASDA - follow the link for more images). |
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