Another win for Metro’s Formula for Change campaign as government confirms food banks can supply formula to struggling families

The Department of Health and Social Care have officially confirmed that determination are nary UK restrictions preventing nutrient oregon baby banks from supplying families successful request with babe formula.

The clarification marks different affirmative measurement for Metro.co.uk’s award-winning Formula for Change campaign, which is calling connected the government to reappraisal its babe look legislation.

In correspondence sent to Chris Webb MP, Andrew Gwynne – who holds the presumption arsenic Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care – wrote that the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007 bash not prohibit babe look being distributed via nutrient banks oregon wherever they whitethorn contented vouchers to families. 

Therefore, helium says, nutrient banks tin acceptable their ain policies connected whether to administer babe look and the regulations bash not prohibit market vouchers from nutrient banks oregon section authorities being utilized to acquisition babe look successful supermarkets.

Mr Webb, who is MP for Blackpool South, insisted that entree to look was captious for families crossed the UK, explaining: ‘Whether owed to aesculapian reasons, feeding challenges, oregon idiosyncratic circumstances, galore parents trust connected look to supply their babies with the indispensable nutrition they request to thrive. Yet acold excessively galore families are uncovering it hard to entree this basal need, peculiarly those already struggling with nutrient insecurity.’

The contented surrounding the proviso of look astatine nutrient and babe banks has been analyzable owed to unit feeling unit to adhere to UNICEF guidelines – which counsel that giving retired look tin inadvertently origin harm if babies are fixed the incorrect type.

Sign the Formula For Change petition here

In effect to the latest news, Blackpool Food Partnership – which runs Blackpool’s biggest nutrient slope – has confirmed it is blessed to supply babe look to families successful need. Helping Hearts, different foundation supporting susceptible families successful Blackpool, volition besides supply it. 

However, immoderate nutrient banks stay reticent, with The Trussell Trust, which supports a web of nutrient banks crossed the UK, insisting they volition proceed to travel the proposal of UNICEF.

Katherine O’Brien, Associate Director of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, has antecedently told Metro that UNICEF’s guidelines don’t adhd up and that parents should beryllium trusted to marque the close decisions for their families.

‘If a parent with fiscal means tin spell into a supermarket and beryllium trusted to take the close look for her baby, wherefore can’t a parent without the fiscal means bash truthful successful a nutrient bank?’ she argued.

‘All archetypal babe look is harmless and steadfast for babies. This is simply a misconception that needs to beryllium addressed. You shouldn’t consciousness shamed for choosing the cheaper option. They are each regulated and each archetypal babe formulas are the same.’

Monique Collins, who ran the foodbank DISC successful Newquay, Cornwall until its caller closure antecedently told Metro that she recovered UNICEF’s guidance confusing, insisting: ‘We had a midwife travel successful and archer america we weren’t allowed to proviso it but that’s conscionable not true.’

In airy of the DHSC’s caller comments, she told Metro this week: ‘It’s present much important than ever arsenic truthful galore families are struggling.’

Co-founder of Feed Dr Erin Williams said the government’s confirmation marked a triumph for Formula for Change, arsenic ‘supporting families by removing the barriers to affordable and accessible look is 1 of our cardinal run aims.’

She added: ‘Feed has developed wide guidance to enactment organisations successful helping families who request formula, which has been backed by the Scottish Government and implemented wrong the NHS.

‘If providing look directly, we urge that organisations supply archetypal babe look (stage 1), arsenic it’s the lone benignant of look suitable from commencement until property 1. Remember excessively that each look brands are nutritionally equivalent, meaning the slightest costly marque is conscionable arsenic bully for babies arsenic the astir expensive, and switching brands is not harmful.’

In airy of the clarification, galore nutrient banks Metro spoke to said that the DHSC should beryllium communicating the accusation straight to them, truthful they consciousness assured astir offering archetypal babe look to families successful need. Until that is done, immoderate admit they stay reluctant to bash so.

Formula for Change was launched by Metro successful concern with Feed – successful 2023 with an purpose to lobby the authorities to reappraisal its babe look authorities and springiness retailers the greenish airy to judge loyalty points, each nutrient slope vouchers and store acquisition cards arsenic outgo for babe formula. 

The petition has since gained implicit 100,000 signatures, and had the backing of celebrities including Katherine Ryan, LadBaby and Iceland brag Richard Walker.

Metro has contacted UNICEF for comment.

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