Stronger reforms called for over baby formula crisis

The UK government is being urged to take even stronger action to tackle the ongoing crisis of families unable to afford baby formula milk. 

The prime minister backed limited reforms to the market to help parents save money but will not yet support more radical changes.

Sir Keir Starmer confirmed support for better public health messaging to inform parents that cheaper brands are nutritionally equivalent when compared with the most expensive.

A ban on spending store loyalty points on baby formula will also be lifted.

They were among recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority which investigated the baby formula industry and described the price rises in recent years as unjustifiable.

In the House of Commons the prime minister said: "For too long parents have been pushed into spending more on infant formula.

"They were told they're paying for better quality and left hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

"I can announce today that we're changing that. We will take action to give parents and carers the confidence to access infant formula at more affordable prices, with clearer guidance for retailers on helping new parents use loyalty points and vouchers together."

It comes two-and-a-half years after a Sky News investigation revealed the extreme measures families were taking to feed their babies.

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Parents described how they had resorted to stealing to feed their infants, some were watering down formula milk or substituting it for condensed milk.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service described the situation in 2023 as a "national scandal".

Campaigners told Sky News the UK government needed to go further to address the crisis.

Co-founder of Feed UK Erin Williams told Sky News: "It is progress, they promised to look at this enormous nationwide problem and they have.

"At the moment women are still not routinely getting important information before giving birth - this should be given proactively to everybody and that will be a big win.

"The prime minister though needs to be tougher on the baby formula companies.

"Their marketing claims, their unjustified pricing - it's stacked against families who just need to feed their babies safely."

The UK government stopped short of accepting all of the recommendations made by the CMA.

More radical ideas such as a price cap on baby formula are not being considered.

Charities have also told Sky News the situations some families find themselves in have not eased.

Founder of the Hartlepool Baby Bank, Emilie De Bruijn, told Sky News the demand they see from desperate families is "constant and unmanageable".

She said: "Parents are really feeling the pinch right now, and demands on baby banks are rising and it can feel quite relentless.

"We are pleased to see the extension of the National Breastfeeding Helpline alongside measures such as allowing parents to use points and vouchers.

"It is important that parents are supported to feed their children in whatever way they want and we hope that steps will continue to be taken to reduce the cost of formula and increase understanding that all brands are nutritionally the same."

(c) Sky News 2025: Stronger reforms called for over baby formula crisis