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Ban on formula ads by celebs, babies

Pregnant women and babies under the age of one can no longer be used to promote infant formula, baby food or nutritional supplements under a consensus reached on Wednesday between the Department of Health (DOH) and representatives of baby formula manufacturers and various children's groups.

They also agreed that the names for different formulas for babies under one and over one should be clearly differentiated to avoid confusion.

The department has convened similar meetings before to ask formula manufacturers to act in accordance with the WHO's code of conduct on alternatives to breast milk.

But due to the lucrative profits involved -- it is estimated that the annual value of infant formulas for babies under one is NT$1.5 billion (US$45.45 million) -- and the fact that the code is not a law, it has not been able to enforce a satisfactory form of self-regulation.

To solve the "chaotic" marketing practice that sees formula manufacturers hiring pregnant entertainers to promote their products, the department invited representatives from the Consumers' Foundation, the infant formula manufacturing sector and the Breastfeeding Association of Taiwan, as well as pediatric groups, to meet to work out a new self-regulation code.

Cheng Huei-wen (鄭慧文), director of the Department of Food Safety, said that although formula manufacturers often claim in their ads that their products contain some of the nutrients found in breast milk, "breast milk cannot be copied."

From July 1, formula manufacturers will have to act in accordance with new DOH regulations and will not be able to promote the claimed benefits of ingredients of nutritional supplements.
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