Formula milk producers left in conundrum

PFA says laws are there to actively promote breastfeeding

LAHORE: Contrary regulations of two government agencies about infant milk powder have created great confusion among industry stakeholders and general consumers, The Express Tribune learnt on Sunday.

According to Punjab Food Authority’s (PFA) Marketing of Infant Milk Formula Regulation 2017, the authority has barred all manufacturers, importers and marketers to mention the words milk or doodh on the products and their publicity or promotional material.

In order to promote breastfeeding for the healthy development of the infant, the authority has also ordered infant formula milk companies to clearly print that their product that it is not a substitute for mother’s milk. In addition, after enforcement of these regulations a couple of months ago, all companies are bound to mention Halal certification and the ingredients of the product on their pack.



The authority has also barred infant formula milk companies from approaching medical practitioners, in person, to promote and market their infant formula products. They cannot solicit, by any means, medical practitioners to prescribe infant formula products to newborns.

However, the provincial food watchdog has allowed infant formula businesses to disseminate their educational and informational material related to these products through post or email.

On the other hand, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has mentioned all infant formula products in its law as ‘baby milk’. “Contrary regulations of both government agencies have become a headache for infant formula product companies.

The food authority is asking us not to mention milk on product packaging, while the DRAP’s Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) 412 says all infant formula products fall under the category of baby milk,” said a representative of an infant formula product.

According to the spokesman of the provincial food watchdog, after enforcement of the new regulation, medical stores will provide infant formula products only on the prescription of the doctor. The sellers also have affix fix label stating “Infant formula is not a substitute for mother’s milk” as do the manufacturers.



He highlighted that the authority bears the right to launch FIR against violators under the power of the regulation. The sale of infant formula will be banned at grocery and general stores after two months.

The authority has recently conducted an operation against infant formula products and removed over 60,000 boxes from medical stores. The PFA spokesperson underlined that the authority had discarded and removed those products which have violated the infant formula regulation.

The action was taken in order to ensure the implementation on newly-introduced regulation on formula marketing.

The spokesman said that products were being sold in the market after being labeled French or Dutch, but they were actually imported from China. As per labeling regulations, the product must bear the label of the country of production and match the same standards.

The PFA spokesman further said children lack nutrition due to the poor quality of infant formula. He added companies were disseminating misleading information and glossy language on their products and in advertisement campaigns. He concluded this was a serving as encouragement for those mothers who preferred infant formula instead of breastfeeding.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2018.