The government has pledged to do more to help families in “utter despair” over soaring baby formula milk prices.
The plight of parents struggling to feed their babies and “foraging” for infant milk online was raised in parliament after the Competition and Markets Authority called for a shake-up of the market last week.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock told the House of Commons: “I understand that many families are struggling to meet the cost of feeding their baby, and the government are committed to helping families most in need to access support.
“We are committed to addressing the concerns raised by the CMA so that the infant formula market delivers the better outcomes that parents deserve.”
Prices have risen by 25% in recent years, despite some small reductions and two new “low cost” brands launching.
The CMA highlighted how this tightly regulated market is not working for the parents who rely on it.
Strict rules mean companies cannot promote infant formula, including price reductions or deals, so as not to discourage breastfeeding. The CMA said this has led to limited incentive to compete on price.
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UK watchdog says baby formula market needs shake-up
Blackpool South MP Chris Webb on Wednesday repeated many of the findings of a Sky News investigation in 2023 that laid out the hidden crisis many families are in.
He told the Commons: “We are seeing something that should be unthinkable in modern Britain: formula foraging.
“I regularly read heartbreaking posts on local forums from parents begging for baby milk to tide them over until the next payday – they are in utter despair – but by seeking out cheap or free milk online, they risk feeding their babies a product that could be out of date or already opened and potentially laden with bacteria.”
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He also reiterated calls for better, impartial information to reassure parents that all brands of first formula milk are “nutritionally equivalent” even though the prices range from £7 up to £18 per tub.
“As a father of a nine-month-old baby, I know how emotionally charged and difficult it is to navigate infant feeding. This period is crucial to a child’s development,” Mr Webb said.
“In their first year, babies will triple their birth weight and the foundations of their health are determined for the rest of their lives.
“It’s vital that parents have access to safe and affordable food during infancy. The fact is that for too many families this isn’t reality.
“It is a public health crisis,” he added.
The CMA will publish its final report into the infant formula market early in 2025.