Thread by @LLLGB

#NigelRollins scientist the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing with @WHO is speaking now about How the marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding #bfconf

#NigelRollins: important to differentiate between the practice of formula milk feeding, the commodity of formula milk and the marketing of commercial milk formula #CMF. We need to keep the focus on the marketing practices #LanguageMatters #bfconf

#NigelRollins on marketing theory 4Ps: Product design, development and packaging, Price management, Placement (distributon and retail presence) and Promotion. Marketing acts on the rational and the emotional mind #bfconf

#NigelRollins: Product design, development & packaging: everything is tried & tested. What are the images, signs, colours & messages that appeal to parents? Premiumisation of products appeals to parents' anxieties and aspirations, increases price even when no evidence for effect

#NigelRollins: Example of an add in a journal, counting on most people not reading the fine print. Message is "BMS is as good as breastmilk" but of 7 studies cited, 3 not obviously relevant, 4 funded by industry etc. #bfconf

#NigelRollins: CMF industry captures mothers by segmenting mothers, normalising bottle feeding, getting to mothers early, building a relationship as a partner in care, making bottle feeding aspirational, providing emotional reassurance #bfconf

#NigelRollins: Digital marketing is a second industrial revolution. Industry has access to consumers and info about them, they can integrate social & commercial (marketing is disguised as help), they can microtarget & market population in real time to optimise strategies #bfconf

#NigelRollins: by targeting health professionals industry harnesses their trusted role. In ALL COUNTRIES HCPs report being approached. Familiarity and legitimacy of brands comes from their presence at conferences, events & other association with HCPs #bfconf

#NigelRollins mentioned this paper "Selling second best: how infant formula marketing works …balizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11…

And also @DoctorChrisVT's article in the @bmj_latest about conflicts of interest in the diagnosis of Cows Milk Protein Allergy bmj.com/content/363/bm… #CMPA #COI #bfconf

#NigelRollins The Politics of Regulating Foods for Infants and Young Children: increased representation by civil society & LMICs are needed to counteract power asymmetries & commercial influences on food standards for infants & young children ijhpm.com/article_4169.h… #bfconf

#NigelRollins Why marketing of formula products is different from other commodities? 1. Impacts on survival, health & development of children & women 2. Disrupts access to impartial, truthful info & supports parent to make decisions (essential human right) 3. Disregards #WHOCode

#NigelRollins: Reasons why marketing formula products different from other commodities continued: 4. Exploits aspirations, vulnerabilities, fears at birth & early years for commerical gain #EndExploitativeMarketing #bfconf