The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes – Why It's Important?

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes 

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes was first agreed upon in 1981 and was updated in 2001 and 2008, most recently at the 34th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. At its heart, the International Code is an important statement on ethics and values that holds far-reaching implications not only for the health of infants and young children across the globe but also as a matter of civil rights. Here’s what you need to know about this ground-breaking convention and why it matters so much. 

 How the code helps mothers? 

The marketing code that governs breast-milk substitutes was developed to ensure that mothers are supported in their choice to breastfeed. For example, as a result of a consumer campaign led by Nestlé and UNICEF more than 40 years ago, companies agreed not to market infant formula in health facilities where mothers would be relying on free supplies. This simple rule has made it much harder for babies born in health facilities in developing countries to be accidentally fed infant formula instead of breast milk, saving countless lives. To date, around 1 billion infants have been protected from illness due to exposure to formula through health services. But there is still more work to do: only 10% of hospitals worldwide adhere to these guidelines today. That’s why we need your help: together we can make sure all mothers have access to high quality information about breastfeeding and all its benefits, including increased protection against HIV/AIDS, lower risk of obesity later in life and less asthma for children who grow up breastfed.  

How the code is enforced? 

The code is legally binding for parties to The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding. In addition, marketing companies that produce breast-milk substitutes must be members of the International Nestlé Nutrition Institute (INNI), and abide by its quality policies. INNI also conducts audits, which can result in sanctions such as withdrawing recognition or revoking membership. There are also national laws regarding how products are advertised and sold. For example, in Canada it is illegal to advertise infant formula unless there is a medical reason why breastfeeding cannot occur.  https://www.digistore24.com/redir/400534/Melese/

Marketers who break the rules are punished? 

In addition to imposing fines and other penalties, companies can be required to stop marketing their products. That’s exactly what happened to Nestlé in 2003 after it agreed to abide by an internal code of conduct (that it had created). The World Health Organization found that Nestlé was misleading mothers into believing that its formula was as good as breast milk. In response, Nestlé took steps to correct its marketing practices in some countries but continued in others. For example, while Nestlé stopped claiming that its formula could prevent allergies in Canada, it continued doing so in Mexico. In 2004, a Canadian court ruled against Nestlé for violating Canadian laws; then a Mexican court ruled against Nestlé for violating Mexican laws. As a result of these decisions, both countries banned sales of all Nestlé infant formulas for two months until the company came up with a plan to comply with their respective laws. 

Who protects infant health? 

As a health professional, you should know that infant formula companies aren’t in business to help us—they’re there to make money. The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes serves as a reference for how breast milk substitutes can be marketed safely. Be sure to abide by its recommendations if you intend on marketing such products in your country. This code was created by UNICEF and WHO, with support from many other public health organizations around the world. Many governments have adopted it into law and other public health codes; but even if they haven't, they all follow similar guidelines when it comes to advertising infant formula. For example, it is illegal in most countries to advertise breast-milk substitutes at all (including online), which makes sense considering infants are incapable of understanding advertisements.