Jackie Cahill
Question:576. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if there is a prohibition on price discounting or special offers for infant formula in Irish shops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32147/23]
View answerTuesday, 4 July 2023
Questions (576)
Written answers
The regulatory requirements for promotional and commercial practices for infant formula are set out in Article 10 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127. This Article prohibits point-of-sale advertising, giving of samples or any other promotional device to induce sales of infant formula directly to the consumer at the retail level. This includes price discounting, special offers, special displays, discount coupons, premiums, special sales, loss-leaders and tie-in sales. These measures are designed so that the marketing and distribution of infant formula does not interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding.
A priority for both the Department of Health and the HSE is to encourage more mothers to breastfeed. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, the National Maternity Strategy, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, and the National Cancer Strategy, emphasises the importance of supporting mothers who breastfeed, as well as taking action to increase breastfeeding rates in Ireland.
It is important that children get the best possible start in life, and this is something all Government partners have prioritised in the Programme for Government. Ireland has a culture of bottle feeding; to improve child and maternal health, as well as achieve reductions in childhood obesity and chronic diseases, it is necessary to improve breastfeeding rates.
The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland. One key action in the framework is to strengthen compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions. A HSE Policy for staff on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes came into effect in October 2021. It requires that all services comply with the International Code.