The $55 billion baby formula industry must end exploitative online marketing targeting parents, particularly mothers, the UN health agency said in a new report published Friday.
The study found companies are paying social media platforms and influencers to gain direct access to pregnant women and mothers at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives, through personalised content that is often not recognisable as advertising.
Methods used include apps, virtual support groups or "baby clubs," promotions and competitions, as well as advice forums or services.
This pervasive marketing is increasing purchases of breast-milk substitutes, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, dissuading mothers from breastfeeding exclusively, as recommended by the agency.
The promotion of commercial milk formulas should have been terminated decades ago, said Dr Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's nutrition and food safety department.
"The fact that formula milk companies are now employing even more powerful and insidious marketing techniques to drive up their sales is inexcusable and must be stopped," he added.
The report "Scope and impact of digital marketing strategies for promoting breast-milk substitutes," is the second in a series and follows an initial study, published in February, on how the marketing of formula milk influences people's decisions on infant feeding.
It summarises findings of new research that sampled and analysed four million social media posts about infant feeding published between January and June 2021 using a commercial social listening platform.
The posts reached nearly 2.5 billion people and generated more than 12 million likes, shares, or comments.
Formula milk companies post content on their social media accounts around 90 times per day, reaching 229 million users – three times the number of people reached by informational posts about breastfeeding from non-commercial accounts – according to the study.
The authors compiled evidence from social listening research on public online communications and individual country reports of research that monitors breast-milk substitute promotions.
They drew on a recent international study of mothers' and health professionals' experiences with formula milk marketing.
Studies revealed how misleading marketing reinforces myths about breastfeeding and breast milk and undermines women's confidence in their ability to breastfeed successfully.
The proliferation of global digital marketing of formula milk blatantly breaches a landmark international code on the marketing of breast-milk substitutes, adopted 40 years ago, the WHO said.
The agreement is designed to protect the general public and mothers from aggressive marketing practices by the baby food industry that negatively impact breastfeeding practices.
The WHO said the fact that these forms of digital marketing can evade the scrutiny of national monitoring and health authorities, shows new approaches to code-implementing regulation and enforcement are required.
Despite clear evidence that exclusive and continued breastfeeding are key determinants of improved lifelong health for children, women, and communities, far too few children are breastfed as recommended.
The proportion could fall further if current formula milk marketing strategies continue, the WHO said.
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