January 20th 2025.
The Department of Health and Social Care has made an official announcement that food banks and baby banks are free to provide families in need with baby formula without any restrictions. This is a positive development for The Agency's successful Formula for Change campaign, which is advocating for the government to review its legislation on infant formula.
In a recent letter to Chris Webb MP, Andrew Gwynne, who serves as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care, stated that the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 2007 do not prohibit the distribution of infant formula through food banks or the use of vouchers to purchase formula from supermarkets. Therefore, food banks are allowed to make their own decisions on whether to distribute infant formula.
Mr. Webb, who represents Blackpool South, stressed the importance of ensuring access to formula for families across the UK, explaining that many parents rely on it to provide their babies with essential nutrition. However, due to various reasons such as medical conditions or financial struggles, many families struggle to obtain this basic need. Chris Webb MP has joined forces with Formula For Change to address this issue.
The issue surrounding the supply of formula at food and baby banks has been complicated by the pressure felt by staff to follow UNICEF guidelines, which caution against giving out formula that may not be suitable for babies. However, in response to the latest news, Blackpool Food Partnership and Helping Hearts, two organizations supporting vulnerable families in Blackpool, have confirmed that they are happy to provide infant formula to those in need. On the other hand, some food banks still remain hesitant, with The Trussell Trust stating that they will continue to follow UNICEF's advice.
Katherine O'Brien, Associate Director of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, has previously expressed her disagreement with UNICEF's guidelines, stating that all first infant formula is safe and healthy for babies. She argued that if a mother with financial means can be trusted to choose the right formula in a supermarket, then a mother without financial means should also be trusted to do the same in a food bank. Monique Collins, who previously ran the food bank DISC in Newquay, Cornwall, also found UNICEF's guidance confusing and believes that it is now more important than ever to provide families in need with formula.
The government's confirmation marks a victory for Formula for Change, according to co-founder of Feed Dr. Erin Williams, as their campaign aims to support families by removing barriers to affordable and accessible formula. Feed has developed clear guidance for organizations to help families in need of formula, which has been endorsed by the Scottish Government and implemented in the NHS. They recommend that organizations provide first infant formula, as it is suitable for babies from birth until age 1. It is also important to note that all formula brands are nutritionally equivalent, so the least expensive brand is just as good as the most expensive one.
Despite the clarification from the DHSC, many food banks still feel unsure about providing first infant formula to families in need and believe that the information should be communicated directly to them. Until then, some remain hesitant to do so. The Formula for Change campaign, launched by Metro in partnership with Feed, aims to lobby the government to review its legislation on infant formula and allow retailers to accept loyalty points, food bank vouchers, and store gift cards as payment for formula. The campaign has gained over 100,000 signatures and has the support of celebrities such as Katherine Ryan, LadBaby, and Iceland boss Richard Walker. Metro has reached out to UNICEF for comment on this issue.
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