News • Children's Food Campaign
Danone criticised for premature baby advert
First Steps Nutrition lead a campaign to get Danone Nutricia to withdraw an advert which appeared in health professional literature. The advert implies that vulnerable babies will ‘survive and thrive’ when given infant formula.
18 individuals and organisations have written to Danone Nutricia to asking them to withdraw the advert. You can read the full text of the letter.
The signatories believe that the advert will mislead health professionals into thinking that premature babies will ‘survive and thrive’ when given infant formula. Evidence shows that premature babies exclusively fed breastmilk have a lower incidence of mortality from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) as well as a reduction in late onset sepsis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity.
First Steps Nutrition Trust, who are a member of Sustain, are also concerned about the claim that this formula is ‘closer to breastmilk’. You can read more about the regulations that cover infant formula advertising in First Steps Nutrition’s report Scientific and Factual? A review of breastmilk substitute advertising to health professionals.
First Steps Nutrition are asking the public to contact Danone Nutricia if you believe this advert is misleading and inaccurate. On their website you can find details of how to contact the editors of journals, regulators, professional associations and others that allow advertising for breastmilk substitutes with example letters.
Published Tuesday 13 March 2018
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
