Marketing of commercial milk formula during COVID‐19 in Indonesia

• Published in: Maternal and child nutrition 2023-07, Vol.19 (3), p.e13491-n/a
• Main Authors: Hidayana, Irma, Prawindarti, Lianita, Umar, Nia, Ambarwati, Kusmayra, Rosatriani, Fitria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advertisements; Advertising; aggressive marketing; Babies; Baby foods; Breast feeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; Children; Children & youth; Childrens health; code of marketing; Consumer goods; COVID-19; Descriptive labeling; Disease transmission; Donations; Ethics; Fines & penalties; Food marketing; Food processing industry; Health services; Health status; Healthy food; Immunization; Indonesia; Infants; Infections; Internet; Marketing; Maternal & child health; Maternal and infant welfare; Maternal characteristics; Medical personnel; Milk; milk formula; Mortality; Mothers; Nutrition; online marketing; Original; pandemic; Pandemics; Public health; Public spaces; Social media; Tactics; Violations
• ISSN: 1740-8695; 1740-8709
• DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13491

Baby food marketing poses a substantial barrier to breastfeeding, which adversely affects mothers' and children's health. Over the last decade, the baby food industry has utilised various marketing tactics in Indonesia, including direct marketing to mothers and promoting products in public spaces and within the healthcare system. This study examined the marketing of commercial milk formula (CMF) and other breast‐milk substitute products during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Indonesia. Using a local, community‐based reporting platform, information on publicly reported violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast‐milk Substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions (the Code) was collected. It was found that a total of 889 reported cases of unethical marketing of such products were recorded primarily through social media from May 20 through December 31, 2021. Our results suggest that the COVID‐19 pandemic has provided more opportunities for the baby food industry in Indonesia to attempt to circumvent the Code aggressively through online marketing strategies. These aggressive marketing activities include online advertisements, maternal child health and nutrition webinars, Instagram sessions with experts, and heavy engagement of health professionals and social media influencers. Moreover, product donations and assistance with COVID‐19 vaccination services were commonly used to create a positive image of the baby food industry in violation of the Code. Therefore, there is an urgent need to regulate the online marketing of milk formula and all food and beverage products for children under the age of 3. This study examined the marketing of commercial milk formula and other breast milk substitute products during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Indonesia. The COVID‐19 pandemic has provided more opportunities for the baby food industry in Indonesia to attempt to circumvent the Code aggressively through online marketing strategies. Key messages While unethical marketing within the healthcare system and in public spaces remains prevalent, this study showed that in Indonesia, the COVID‐19 pandemic had provided more opportunities for commercial milk formula companies to market their products more aggressively on online social media platforms. Involvement of healthcare professionals and their associations and social media influencers in marketing activities has been on the rise in violation of the Code. This study indicated that formula companies offered a