Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formula
Abstract Objective: To explore on-package formula messaging with reference to legislation and government-issued guidance in Great Britain (GB). Design: Formula products were identified, pictures of all sides of packs collated and on-package text and images were coded. Compliance with both GB leg...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-08-01
|
| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980023000216/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797741997400784896 |
|---|---|
| author | Rana Conway Sara Esser Andrew Steptoe Andrea D Smith Clare Llewellyn |
| author_facet | Rana Conway Sara Esser Andrew Steptoe Andrea D Smith Clare Llewellyn |
| author_sort | Rana Conway |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Abstract
Objective:
To explore on-package formula messaging with reference to legislation and government-issued guidance in Great Britain (GB).
Design:
Formula products were identified, pictures of all sides of packs collated and on-package text and images were coded. Compliance with both GB legislation and guidance issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) was assessed.
Setting:
All formula packs that were available for sale over the counter in GB between April and October 2020.
Participants:
Formula packs (n 71) including infant formula, follow-on formula, growing-up formula and specialist formula were identified, coded and analysed.
Results:
In total, 41 % of formula packs included nutrition claims, and 18 % included health claims that may be considered non-permitted, according to DHSC guidance. Additionally, 72 % of products showed images considered ‘non-permitted’. Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) legislation states infant and follow-on formula packs should be clearly distinguishable but does not provide criteria to assess similarity. Based on DHSC guidance, 72 % of infant and follow-on formula packs were categorised as showing a high degree of similarity. Marketing practices not covered by current legislation were widespread, such as 94 % of infant formula packs including advertisements for follow-on or growing-up formula.
Conclusions:
Text and images considered non-permitted according to DHSC guidance for implementing BMS legislation were widespread on formula products available in GB. As terms such as ‘similarity’ are not defined in BMS legislation, it was unclear if breaches had occurred. Findings support the WHO call for loopholes in domestic legislation to be closed as a matter of urgency.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:34:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9cec54cd66c43af9c98b323321b0b1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:34:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9cec54cd66c43af9c98b323321b0b1b2023-08-17T10:00:57ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272023-08-01261696170510.1017/S1368980023000216Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formulaRana Conway0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0955-7107Sara Esser1Andrew Steptoe2Andrea D Smith3Clare Llewellyn4Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UKResearch Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UKResearch Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UKResearch Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UKResearch Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK Abstract Objective: To explore on-package formula messaging with reference to legislation and government-issued guidance in Great Britain (GB). Design: Formula products were identified, pictures of all sides of packs collated and on-package text and images were coded. Compliance with both GB legislation and guidance issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) was assessed. Setting: All formula packs that were available for sale over the counter in GB between April and October 2020. Participants: Formula packs (n 71) including infant formula, follow-on formula, growing-up formula and specialist formula were identified, coded and analysed. Results: In total, 41 % of formula packs included nutrition claims, and 18 % included health claims that may be considered non-permitted, according to DHSC guidance. Additionally, 72 % of products showed images considered ‘non-permitted’. Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) legislation states infant and follow-on formula packs should be clearly distinguishable but does not provide criteria to assess similarity. Based on DHSC guidance, 72 % of infant and follow-on formula packs were categorised as showing a high degree of similarity. Marketing practices not covered by current legislation were widespread, such as 94 % of infant formula packs including advertisements for follow-on or growing-up formula. Conclusions: Text and images considered non-permitted according to DHSC guidance for implementing BMS legislation were widespread on formula products available in GB. As terms such as ‘similarity’ are not defined in BMS legislation, it was unclear if breaches had occurred. Findings support the WHO call for loopholes in domestic legislation to be closed as a matter of urgency. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980023000216/type/journal_articleInfant formulaBMSMarketingPolicyChild nutritionLabelling |
| spellingShingle | Rana Conway Sara Esser Andrew Steptoe Andrea D Smith Clare Llewellyn Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formula Public Health Nutrition Infant formula BMS Marketing Policy Child nutrition Labelling |
| title | Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formula |
| title_full | Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formula |
| title_fullStr | Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formula |
| title_full_unstemmed | Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formula |
| title_short | Content analysis of on-package formula labelling in Great Britain: use of marketing messages on infant, follow-on, growing-up and specialist formula |
| title_sort | content analysis of on package formula labelling in great britain use of marketing messages on infant follow on growing up and specialist formula |
| topic | Infant formula BMS Marketing Policy Child nutrition Labelling |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980023000216/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ranaconway contentanalysisofonpackageformulalabellingingreatbritainuseofmarketingmessagesoninfantfollowongrowingupandspecialistformula AT saraesser contentanalysisofonpackageformulalabellingingreatbritainuseofmarketingmessagesoninfantfollowongrowingupandspecialistformula AT andrewsteptoe contentanalysisofonpackageformulalabellingingreatbritainuseofmarketingmessagesoninfantfollowongrowingupandspecialistformula AT andreadsmith contentanalysisofonpackageformulalabellingingreatbritainuseofmarketingmessagesoninfantfollowongrowingupandspecialistformula AT clarellewellyn contentanalysisofonpackageformulalabellingingreatbritainuseofmarketingmessagesoninfantfollowongrowingupandspecialistformula |