New law bans infant formula advertising

By The Nation

 

 

A new law, which bans manufacturers, importers and distributors from advertising and marketing infant formula milk or powdered milk and other food products for toddlers, will be in effect next month.

 

The Department of Health has confirmed that the Control of Marketing of Infant and Young Child Food Act 2017, which was published in the Royal Gazette on July 10, will be in effect on September 9.

 

Department chief Dr Wachira Pengchan said on Friday that the law does not ban the sale of formula milk or food products.

 

Wachira explained that the law was to control baby food marketing to be appropriate and meet international standards to prevent misinformation.

 

He said newborns up to the age of six months should solely take breast milk. After six months, they could take breast milk along with food or supplements as necessary and appropriate.

 

Wachira said the law prohibits anyone from advertising infant and food for young children or conveys a message that the products are suitable for babies. The law bans the advertisement of food supplement products for babies in any form for commercial gain, he said. This included the posting of pictures or the use of other media materials in advertising baby food products, he added.

 

The department has been urging Thai mothers to breastfeed their infants as per the World Health Organisation’s 1-6-2 code recommendation; to breastfeed a newborn within one hour of birth, to solely breastfeed the baby until six months old, and to breastfeed the baby along with other food until two years old or more, Wachira said.

 

The new law is one out of three related aspects that the department was working on, he said. 

 

The other two aspects were the promotion of training for healthcare and medical staff to provide knowledge to new mothers and families about breastfeeding, and ensure workplaces and public sites accommodate breastfeeding.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30324202

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-8-18

Hmm...

So no more TV ads showing kids becoming geniuses just because they had some formula milk? 

What happens if the mother cannot breast feed?

 

2 minutes ago, wakeupplease said:

What happens if the mother cannot breast feed?

 

Was wondering that myself. 

 

Though it's not banned so I'm guessing this is an attempt to restrict it being promoted as the best option. 

 

I can see that point. 

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 20178 yr by Bluespunk

1 minute ago, Bluespunk said:

Was wondering that myself. 

 

I have been trying to teach my g/f the technique regularly. But at 47 she's not interested.

And in other news, maternity leave with full pay has been extended to 2 years. 

6 hours ago, wgdanson said:

I have been trying to teach my g/f the technique regularly. But at 47 she's not interested.

 

You could always substitute a younger model which tends to boost stamina and the desire to obtain adequate nutrition.

 

Like the old versions, they still come in twin packs and nowadays are openly marketed fo entice the consumer.

 

A quick word of caution. There are many fake products around and the incorrect choice could lead to both dissatisfaction and an unwanted pain in the arse.

Edited August 18, 20178 yr by Reigntax

Well done Thailand, the UK has been a supporter of these international WHO/UNICEF guidlines since the early 80's.

 

Better late than never.

 

http://archive.babymilkaction.org/regs/thecode.html

Alcohol advert ban. Baby formula ban. What next? No advertising bottled water?

1 hour ago, Essecola said:

Alcohol advert ban. Baby formula ban. What next? No advertising bottled water?

Baby formula advertising ban is standard practice in most developed countries. Thailand is falling in to line with WHO guidlines.

 

They should be applauded. Why would they ban bottled water advertising?

Edited August 18, 20178 yr by Nord X

Some of the problems with feeding babies with baby formula in developing countries has been to get the new mothers to understand the correct mixtures, and the very important need to use clean drinking grade water.

In at least one country I've worked in, some mothers considered that getting the mix to look white was enough, and they also reduced the amount of powder because of its cost. The result was undernourished babies.

In Papua New Guinea a successful program was run in villages to encourage the use of breast milk. 

It was common to see tee shirts with the slogan "susu bilong mama emi numba one kaikai bilong pikanini"   (mother's milk is the best food for babies).

Em nau.

Did the government gave up all former affords to produce "quality babies" to become astronauts, and Nobel laureates in future Thailand 4.0? Next step of the industry may be supplements that promise to make kids obeying citizen, I guess that would be welcomed. What a pity there are no supplements to enhance the competence of teachers.

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by Lupatria

The stick in lieu of a carrot.  Is there a Thai word for "incentive" that does not sound like "bribe".

Why do they have to advertise the formula?

 

 I think everyone already knows the formula is:

4 drinks + 3 pumps + one squirt + 1 egg= baby. 

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by Guitar God

31 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

The stick in lieu of a carrot.  Is there a Thai word for "incentive" that does not sound like "bribe".

 

Nope. Only 2 words. Gun barrel?

Must say I am looking forward to the adverts for the natural product.

A darn good thing I say: Too many Thai women I've met are forsaking breast feeding completely do to media exposure. Oh DHA will help my child more. Completely ignoring the natural immunity that breast milk provides and the effect on the child's bonding even if its only for month or 3. Not mention that medical scientists have repeatedly pointed to studies to the medical benefits of breast feeding in many studies by thousands of researchers over the last century 

Obviously no local production of this stuff ?

43 minutes ago, Deli said:

Obviously no local production of this stuff ?

Correct; if there was local production they would only ban advertising of imported brands. No local production, thus no opportunities for the ever popular subsidy scam. 

What they should be investigating and banning is the false advertising on the labels. There are some producers/suppliers/packagers who label their product as containing New Zealand, Australian or Dutch milk with high protein but only include a small percentage with the rest of the content being made from low quality powder from countries like Africa.

"Organic" formula powder can also be included in this false product labelling. Not hard to buy organic certification with an under the table persuader.

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by Cadbury

Good they have done this. Of particular interest is also restricting the weird stuff Toddler formula sold at great expence. Toddlers do not need this and worse it is potentially harmfull by stalling the transition to a proper diet.

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by fantom

18 hours ago, wakeupplease said:

What happens if the mother cannot breast feed?

 

Do wake up please and read the article fully.

 

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Department chief Dr Wachira Pengchan said on Friday that the law does not ban the sale of formula milk or food products.

 

 

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

Correct; if there was local production they would only ban advertising of imported brands. No local production, thus no opportunities for the ever popular subsidy scam. 

What they should be investigating and banning is the false advertising on the labels. There are some producers/suppliers/packagers who label their product as containing New Zealand, Australian or Dutch milk with high protein but only include a small percentage with the rest of the content being made from low quality powder from countries like Africa.

"Organic" formula powder can also be included in this false product labelling. Not hard to buy organic certification with an under the table persuader.

As local alcohol advertising is banned I'm not sure your premise is correct. 

 

There does appear to be a willingness to ban advertising on certain products. 

 

Local or not. 

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by Bluespunk

20 hours ago, kotsak said:

So no more TV ads showing kids becoming geniuses just because they had some formula milk? 

 

Which is good news.

 

Thai pediatric doctors have been lobbying for many years to make it illegal to add all their nonsense unproven immagery. numbers, data equations etc., on childrens' milk products bu the companies were too powerful.

 

In one of my local MBA marketing classes 2 female students (both young mothers) asked a guy from one such company to bring proof with references etc., to the class. He avoided their requests until he eventually admitted he  / his company had no substantiating data whatever. 

On 18/08/2017 at 11:54 PM, wakeupplease said:

What happens if the mother cannot breast feed?

 

The ban isn't on formula, only advertising.

 

The ban is positive as there are any number of dubious and unsubstantiated claims about infant formula that can influence a mothers choice.

 

Breast milk is always the best option.

 

Our first two were breast fed. Unfortunately mum had difficulty with our third so we had to move to formula.

 

 

Edited August 20, 20178 yr by drgoon
Grammar

On 19.8.2017 at 3:17 AM, Essecola said:

Alcohol advert ban. Baby formula ban. What next? No advertising bottled water?

Would not that be nice, as especially Nestle is a shit company who once claimed that clean water is no human right.

Why only infant formula, Lots of products and advertising in Thailand make some pretty outrageous claims. Thais seem to believe anyone in a white coat. 

The little jars of chicken soup from 7/11 appear to be the best, drink one of those and you, grow back a missing limb, beat cancer, get the promotion, the sexy wife and the new pick up, the man in the white coat wouldn't lie.

 

 

Edited August 20, 20178 yr by Peterw42

On 8/18/2017 at 6:22 PM, kotsak said:

So no more TV ads showing kids becoming geniuses just because they had some formula milk? 

Obviously not. As anyone who has lived or visited Thailand can tell you, the country is plagued by an overabundance of  physically fit geniuses. 

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Why only infant formula, Lots of products and advertising in Thailand make some pretty outrageous claims. Thais seem to believe anyone in a white coat. 

The little jars of chicken soup from 7/11 appear to be the best, drink one of those and you, grow back a missing limb, beat cancer, get the promotion, the sexy wife and the new pick up, the man in the white coat wouldn't lie.

 

 

Nobody told me about the pick up.

On 8/18/2017 at 6:12 PM, Bluespunk said:

Hmm...