Response 285462419

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PART 1 - Introduction and Demographic Information

6. Please answer questions i and ii:

i. Have you ever purchased infant formula products for your child or a child under your care (under 12 months of age)?
Please select one item
Yes
No
If you selected 'Yes', what affected your decision to purchase a product? (suggested word limit 250 words):
Advice from hospital
ii. Have you ever purchased ‘toddler milk’ for your child or a child under your care (aged 12 – 36 months)?
Please select one item
Yes
No

PART 2 - Is the MAIF Agreement effective in achieving its aims?

14. The MAIF Agreement is effective in achieving its aims.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure
Please provide more detail about your response (suggested word count 250 words):
It is not made clear that breastmilk is better for babies. There is a belief that formula is just as good and is a direct substitute.

PART 3 - Is the scope of the MAIF Agreement appropriate: is it still meeting the objectives?

15. The scope of the MAIF Agreement is appropriate.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure
Please provide more detail about your response (suggested word count 250 words):
The scope is good but I don’t agree that this is happening. Also, companies bypass point one through the creation of toddler milk, which is packaged exactly like infant milk.

Also, the brand I was given in the hospital is the brand I continued to use when home. It was more expensive but I didn’t know I could change formulas.

16. The scope of products covered by the MAIF Agreement is appropriate.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

17. The scope of parties covered by the MAIF Agreement is appropriate.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

18. The MAIF Agreement (under Clause 7) restricts the type of information that can be provided to health care professionals on infant formula products. What activities can be done to increase the awareness of the appropriate use of breast milk substitutes amongst health care professionals?

Please provide more detail about your response (suggested word count 250 words):
when they midwives offered my babies formula in the hospital, it should have been clear it was needed for weightgain, but that breastmilk was going to be better for my babies long term. The midwives lead me to think formula was better (it was in terms of short term use to help my baby put on weight), but long term it is not better and this is not how they educated me.

19. Are the current advertising and marketing provisions covered by the MAIF agreement appropriate?

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure
Should the scope be changed to include modern marketing techniques, such as targeting advertising on social media platforms? (suggested word count 250 words):
Toddler milk advertising is pretty much infant formula advertising with a small word change. The packaging and branding is identical, so it’s obvious manufacturers use toddler milk as a loophole to market the infant formula.
What changes would you suggest and how could they be implemented? (suggested word count 250 words):
No formula advertising at all.

PART 4 - Are the MAIF Agreement processes appropriate?

20. The MAIF Agreement complaints processes are appropriate.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

21. The MAIF Agreement guidance documents are appropriate to support interpretation of the MAIF Agreement?

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

22. Have you lodged a complaint with the MAIF Agreement Complaints Committee?

Please select one item
Yes
No

24. The MAIF Agreement complaints process is independent.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

25. The MAIF Agreement complaints process is transparent.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

26. The MAIF Agreement complaints process is administered in a timely manner.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

27. Publication of breaches of the MAIF Agreement is an appropriate enforcement mechanism.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure

PART 4 continued - Is the voluntary, self-regulatory approach fit for purpose or are there alternative regulatory models?

28. The MAIF Agreement’s effectiveness is not reduced by its voluntary, self-regulatory approach.

Please select one item
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Unsure
Please provide more detail about your response (suggested word count 250 words):
Pretty sure any business looking after their bottom line will abuse a “self regulatory” approach.

PART 5 - What are the benefits, costs and any limitations of changes and expansion of the agreement scope, alternative regulatory models and MAIF Agreement processes?

30. What changes would you make to the MAIF Agreement and its processes?

a. (suggested word count 250 words):
The superiority of breastfeeding should be clearer. Also the impact of using formula on supply.
b. What do you think would be the potential benefits of these changes (suggested word count 250 words)?
The cohort of parents who think formula is a direct substitute may realise it’s not as good for baby, and choose to breastfeed instead.