Half Pint Pixie

Just before Christmas, while visiting a popular Irish parenting site, I noticed that there were SMA ads scattered prolifically around it. I had posted about one page in particular, the Mums2Be section which looked like this…

Nice, huh? Because SMA do care about your pregnancy, they do, really, sincerely! It’s nothing to do with the fact that they are not allowed directly advertise formula. It’s nothing to do with the fact that these ads all link to their website, which does advertise formula. It’s nothing to do with the fact that once you sign up for their Baby Club they can send you coupons and information about their products. No, it’s none of those things, they really do care about you, your pregnancy and your baby, sincerely…

So sincerely in fact that they have decided to send one lucky couple and their baby on an all expenses paid break.

Wow, a cynic would say that the sheer volume of women who will enter this competition would provide SMA with a massive mailing list for very little effort. But again, that’s just me being cynical.

Here’s IBFAN’s guide to the International Code. It contains the following information:

“There should be no advertising or other form of promotion to the general public of products within the scope of this Code.” Article 5.1

* Companies are banned from seeking contact with pregnant women and mothers and must not promote products covered by the Code to them or the general public in any way.

Article 5.1 given above sets out the principle regarding promotion to the general public and mothers: it is banned. Promotion is not defined in the International Code, but it is a very broad term which encompasses all means of encouraging the sale of a product.

Advertising is a form of promotion as are: direct mail, leaflets and pamphlets, posters, product samples, free gifts, video shows and lectures. Even sponsorship of events can be considered a form of promotion.

I have forwarded all the details on this recent SMA advertising campaign to Baby Milk Action, who, as part of IBFAN (The International Baby Food Action Network) , are monitoring the worldwide marketing of formula and keeping tabs on the formula companies. IFBAN also publishs reports on the Code violations that they find, the most recent report being Breaking the Rules 2007.

If you are interested in reporting Code Violations information to IBFAN, have a look at their information page and also their international contacts page, you may have a local group near you, we don’t appear to, Baby Milk Action is our closest neighbour! Have fun

Incidentally, the parenting forum are not replying to anyone’s complaints even though many people have complained. This is the same forum which ran the Cow & Gate ad I mentioned last year. It seems to be a case of money winning over social responsibility, which is nothing unusual and in fact is the main reason we need government legislation to stop the advertisements in the first place. As long as formula companies are allowed to make these ads, they’ll find someone who’s happy to publish them for a quick bit of revenue.

So, doing my civic duty, I forwarded these ads to the Food & Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) who monitor formula advertising. Their disappointing response…

…Unfortunately, as there is no specific infant formulae product being advertised, the competitions/sites are not infringing the Regulatory requirements. Reference to SMA nutrition is a brand and not a specific product.

The WHO Code does go further than the Regulatory requirements, but as it does not have any enforcement provisions there is little that can be done to prevent such promotions.

However, the FSAI will note that your complaint is evidence that SMA are not complying with the WHO International Code on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and this information is essential for when the
effectiveness of the legislative controls are being reviewed and so in that manner your contribution is very useful.

Thank you for taking the time to contact the FSAI on this matter.

Isn’t that amazing, despite all the research worldwide, despite the WHO Regulations, in Ireland SMA is legally allowed to use this targeted advertising because they don’t say “Formula” anywhere. Because they’re advertising a brand. A brand which only sells formula. Duh!

So, remember, if you are a multinational formula manufacturer who wishes to advertise your product in Ireland, you can say what you like to whomever you like, as long as you don’t mention the “F” word… Formula! What a load!

here’s my usual disclaimer: this is not an attack on parents who bottle-feed, this is about the companies involved and their often-illegal claims & advertising methods!