Infant and children mortality is still a major concern globally. Breastfeeding has proven to be one of the most effective, low-cost interventions to save children’s lives. In order to protect breastfeeding, in 1981, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code), to date completed and extended by fifteen subsequent relevant WHA resolutions. The Code aims to ensure that parents can make fully informed decisions about infant and young child feeding by banning marketing practices that undermine breastfeeding. […] However, since 1981, only 35 countries have fully implemented the Code. In absence of effective marketing regulation, and notwithstanding their obligation under human rights law, baby food companies are systematically violating the Code provisions by malevolent marketing practices and tactics that mislead consumers and health professionals. […]

The new ‘Breaking the Rules 2014’ BTR report, published in January 2014 by IBFAN-ICDC (IBFAN International Code Documentation Centre), details global marketing trends by baby food manufacturers and exposes violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions, between 2011 and 2013. Read the Press release Breaking […]

Manufacturers continue to violate the International Code, despite numerous resolutions and repeated calls by the WHO and UNICEF for them to act ethically. This report (Breaking the Rules – Stretching the Rules BTR, 208 pages) highlights breaches around the world from October 2007 to October 2010. Press Release IBFAN PressRelease 12-5-11 1. BTR 2010-Exec Summary […]

Powdered infant formula (PIF) has been linked to cases of serious illness and death in infants due to Enterobacter sakazakii infections. PPNs can be contaminated with dangerous bacteria such as Enterobacter sakazakii and Salmonella enterica during the manufacturing process. Current manufacturing techniques do not allow the production of sterile PPN. During the preparation of these […]

Breaking the Rules (BTR) 2001 describes the evidence of violations collected during a 14-country survey of company compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions. The monitoring results cover 16 transnational baby food companies and 13 manufacturers of bottles and teats. It is important to recognise that […]