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Violations of the International Code on Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes

Ver 2.0 (2024)

Let's protect children, women, families, and all of us from the misleading practice of marketing commercial formula and other breastmilk substitutes

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What is International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes?

The Code is a global framework that regulates the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, issued by the World Health Organization in 1981

All WHO member states are recommended to adopt the Code into national legal instruments

Meanwhile the baby food industry is required to comply with the Code

Why the Code is important?

The Code is issued as a response to the aggressive marketing and use of breastmilk substitutes which has led to infant mortality and morbidity

* The Code applies with its subsequent WHA Resolutions

WHA Resolutions

Code

Relevant WHA resolutions are recommendations on the provisions of infant and young child feeding.

Relevant WHA Resolutions

WHA Resolution on the Code (1986)
WHA Resolution on the Code (1992)
WHA Resolution on the Code (1994)
WHA Resolution on the Code (1996)
WHA Resolution on the Code (2001)
WHA Resolution on the Code (2002)
WHA Resolution on the Code (2005)
WHA Resolution on the Code (2008)
WHA Resolution on the Code (2010)
WHA Resolution on the Code (2012)
WHA Resolution on the Code (2016)

Articles

August 6, 2024

Formula Milk zig-zag in the Middle of a Pandemic

Formula milk producers in Indonesia intensified their advertising through social media during the pandemic. They attracted mothers through various programs. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism suspects that these companies violated the WHO code.

August 5, 2024

Formula Milk Manufacturers Are Not Afraid of International Codes of Conduct

In May 2016, Irma Hidayana, doctoral candidate in health and behavior at Columbia University, United States, released a report entitled “Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes: Indonesia Context.” This report states that 15 percent of respondents out of 874 women they interviewed said they had received free samples of formula milk from health workers.

August 5, 2024

Milking It – How Milk Formula Companies are Putting Profits Before Science

This report represents the first global investigation into infant milks being sold for babies under 12 months old from the four leading companies: Nestlé, Danone, Mead Johnson Nutrition and Abbott.

August 1, 2024

How Nestlé gets children hooked on sugar in lower-income countries

Nestlé, a leading baby food brand, finds itself under scrutiny for its marketing strategies that target low-income countries with high-added sugar products.

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