A new investigation by FreeNZ Media has highlighted the long-term impact of corporate influence on infant feeding practices, exposing how multinational food and pharmaceutical companies have undermined breastfeeding through aggressive formula marketing.
Once a natural and community-supported act, breastfeeding began to decline with the rise of commercial formula, first popularised in the late 1800s by Henri Nestlé’s “Farine Lactée.”
Now a US$90 billion global industry dominated by Nestlé, Danone, and Reckitt Benckiser, formula sales continue to grow despite mounting concerns over regulatory capture and health risks in developing nations.
The report warns that today’s regulatory agencies are often compromised by financial ties to the companies they oversee. It also revisits the infamous 1974 “Baby Killer” report linking infant deaths in poor countries to unethical formula marketing.
With investment giants like BlackRock backing these corporations and their presence at the World Economic Forum, the investigation raises alarms over the merger of corporate and governmental power shaping global health policy.
Read the full report here.
Image credit: Jordan Whitt
Cognitive dissonance – the top marketing tool of the century (& before) – brought to you by Hollywood and the porn industry. Breasts have been fetishised, monetised, plagiarised, fantasised, one could surmise motorised, all in the push to de-humanise a world of humans and seperate them from Papatuanuku where they are safe.
Just followed my instinct and breastfed my two boys. For a year, despite comments and even attempts to dissuade me.
Made them strong.
I can only recommend the same to young mothers.Don t listen to people trying to make you insecure. It is a natural function of your body and sometime milk is slow to come. But will come all right.
As for some ( male) doctors, they only know what they have learned in books
Breast feeding is not able to be done by everyone. For those that struggle, formula is an important alternative. When I had my children breast feeding was really pushed by midwives and hospitals who looked on bottle feeding with disgust. I was made to feel like a failure because I physically couldn’t breastfeed. That contributed to post natal depression. I agree that for those who are able to breastfeed it is best to do it, but for those who aren’t able, don’t feel guilty, at least your baby won’t starve with the use of formula. Fed is best.
The article covers your concern.