Double win for infant formula campaign

In a double win for MP Chris Webb’s campaign to make infant formula more affordable and accessible, the Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed that food banks can provide infant formula to families and that families are able to use food bank and supermarket vouchers to purchase it.

Junior Health Minister Andrew Gwynne wrote to Webb this week, clarifying the government’s and the law’s position on infant formula regulations, after Webb held an adjournment debate on the topic in Parliament in November.

Read the letter at the bottom of this post

Under previous governments, guidance to food banks and supermarkets around providing infant formula for free or at a discount has been unclear, and many have avoided doing so for fear of breaking strict regulations around the promotion of infant milk.

In his letter Gwynne affirms that the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007 do not prohibit infant formula being distributed via food banks. And that regulations do not prohibit grocery vouchers from food banks or local authorities being used to purchase infant formula in supermarkets.

Blackpool Food Partnership – which runs Blackpool’s biggest food bank – has confirmed it is happy to provide infant formula to families in need. Helping Hearts, another charity supporting vulnerable families in Blackpool, will also provide it.

Thanks to a kind donation from Aldi, which is working closely with the MP on his infant formula campaign, Webb has supplied a large stock of infant formula and nappies to both organisations to ensure baby milk is now readily available to families in Blackpool who are struggling to afford it.

The MP has also kept a stock of formula and nappies within his constituency office to supply directly to vulnerable constituents who request it.

Next month Webb is hosting a Parliamentary drop in in Westminster, where he has invited fellow MPs, policymakers, advocacy groups, professional and other stakeholders to join him in addressing the affordability of infant milk. Attendees will be invited to take part in meaningful discussions and explore potential policy solutions to support families more broadly.

The issue of access to affordable infant formula is one that Webb, a father of an 11-month-old, is passionate about. He said:

“For many families across the UK, infant formula isn’t a choice – it’s a necessity. Whether due to medical reasons, feeding challenges, or personal circumstances, many parents rely on formula to provide their babies with the essential nutrition they need to thrive. Yet, far too many families are finding it difficult to access this basic need, particularly those already struggling with food insecurity.

"That’s why I launched this campaign to advocate for policy changes and corporate support to ensure that every family has access to the formula they need. From working with supermarkets to engaging with the government, the aim of this campaign is simple – to ensure that infant formula is affordable and accessible for all.”

For a detailed campaign update click here.

To access infant formula in Blackpool South please contact Chris Webb’s office. Email: chris.webb@parliament.uk. Call: 01253 532401.

Watch Chris Webb’s adjournment debate on infant formula regulations below.