Tesco urged to drop ‘unethical’ child formulation trial | EUROtoday

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Tesco has been urged to drop an “unethical” trial involving midwives providing recommendation to clients on feeding infants.

The midwives have been provided branded uniforms and undergone coaching by the formulation firm Danone for the initiative at Tesco’s retailer in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

However, The BMJ reported that critics had raised considerations that the service was a backward step and harking back to the “milk nurses” scandal of the Nineteen Seventies, the place formulation business salespeople dressed as nurses and promoted formulation milk to folks.

One midwife employed by Danone stop the pilot final month, telling The BMJ she couldn’t be related to an “unethical” service.

The journal reported her saying: “Because of the history, I just don’t want to be associated with formula companies breaking the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. It’s unethical.

“That was the line I couldn’t cross – women trust me because I am a midwife.”

She added: “The bottom line is we’re making Danone look good, we’re increasing their revenue and product likeability, when actually that’s not our role. As midwives we should protect women and advocate for them.”

The breast milk substitutes code, adopted by the World Health Organisation and Unicef in 1981, and as legislation in additional than 100 international locations, states that “marketing personnel” ought to keep away from direct or oblique contact with “pregnant women or with mothers of infants and young children”.

UK legislation covers some however not all of the provisions of the code.

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A spokeswoman for Danone UK & Ireland stated it solely supposed to supply “impartial, nutritional expertise”, that the branded uniforms have been “not mandatory in any way”, and it was taking over board “all feedback” as a part of the pilot.

The firm stated: “Our participation in Tesco’s health services trial gives parents easy and convenient access to high quality information about nutrition. The first 1,000 days of life are the most significant in a child’s development, so having access to information and advice is essential in supporting parents and their little ones during this important time.

“Through our AptaClub we provide impartial, nutritional expertise so that parents can access the information they need to make informed choices to support with their babies’ growth and development. We know that sometimes there can be barriers when accessing information and support, like a lack of time; so offering advice in store is a convenient option to speak with a trained professional and this has been received positively by parents.”

A Tesco spokesman stated: “This small-scale pilot in one store was designed to offer additional support to parents and carers through free and impartial advice, as part of a wider concept offering a range of health and wellbeing services.

“The pilot concludes at the end of January, and we will reflect on the views raised by customers and stakeholders when deciding how we support customers in the future.”

Vicky Sibson, director of First Steps Nutrition Trust, a charity that promotes wholesome consuming in kids as much as 5 years, instructed The BMJ that Danone was utilizing a tried and examined advertising tactic.

She stated: “They’re not breaking UK laws but they do break the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes which clearly advises against marketing personnel seeking direct or indirect contact with pregnant women or mothers.

“The issue is that UK laws fall short of what they should be. Danone is using its baby club name and logo to promote its service, and so indirectly promoting its products.”

Ms Sibson known as on Tesco to finish its partnership with Danone, saying: “What we know is that most women in the UK want to breastfeed in some ways and this is an example where they undermine women’s self-efficacy to breastfeed.

“It is at odds with Tesco’s objectives around improving the healthfulness of their retail offer. It is time they took a better look at the baby food aisle.”