Restricting Infant Formula Marketing in Australia

Marketing of infant formula and toddler milk products has been shown to influence caregivers’ infant feeding practices, reducing breastfeeding intention, initiation and duration (Romo-Palafox et al., 2020, Zhang et al., 2013; Piwoz and Huffman, 2015). Infant formula companies use sophisticated language and promotional techniques to target parents and influence health professionals (WHO, 2022). Parents can be highly influenced by advertisements and health professional recommendations to use infant formula (WHO, 2022; Piwoz and Huffman, 2015).

Marketing of breastmilk substitutes can pathologise normal infant feeding behaviours, exploit parental insecurities, undermine confidence in breastfeeding and present formula as a solution to normal infant feeding behaviours (Pérez-Escamilla et al., 2023; Parry et al., 2013). Marketing agencies target advertising strategies at new parents who have less experience and who commonly refer to the internet for information and are more likely to buy something new (Mota-Castillo et al., 2023). Evidence indicates parents/caregivers who believe the advertising and marketing claims on infant formula and toddler milk products were more likely to provide these products to their child (Romo-Palafox et al., 2020).

Digital marketing campaigns have been shown to effectively increase consumer engagement and sales. Advertising and marketing campaigns generally tend to use emotional messaging to appeal to parents and build relationships (Hastings et al., 2020). The WHO report on the scope and impact of digital marketing strategies for promoting breast-milk substitutes highlights the effectiveness of digital marketing including through social media and the use of influencers (WHO, 2022). Case study examples include an Australian social media campaign which reached 5,000 people with an engagement rate of 33%, greatly exceeding general targets of 1-2%, and an influencer who reached more than a million people and generated 155,000 engagement actions with a single post (WHO, 2022).

An online survey of 1,645 caregivers of infants and toddlers in the USA found 52% of infant caregivers agreed that infant formula can be better for infants’ digestion and brain development than breastmilk, while 62% agreed infant formula can provide nutrition that is not present in breastmilk (Romo-Palafox et al., 2020). The same survey found 60% of toddler caregivers agreed toddler milks provide nutrition toddlers cannot receive from foods or beverages in the diet. These findings suggest common infant formula and toddler milk marketing claims mislead caregivers about the benefits and appropriateness for their child (Romo-Palafox et al., 2020).

The impact of infant formula marketing may not be equal across population groups. Recent research from the United Kingdom showed that women from lower socio-economic positions were more likely to have favourable views on breastmilk substitutes despite no difference in marketing exposure to other women (Athanasiadou, 2025).