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Look What
They’re Doing ! |
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Become a
Code monitor for World Breastfeeding Week.
The theme of World
Breastfeeding Week 2006 is Code Watch: 25 Years of Protecting
Breastfeeding.
The International Code of
Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health
Assembly in 1981, and aims to protect breastfeeding from unethical
marketing practices by the baby food industry. The main principle of
theCode is that there should be no
advertising or any other form of promotion of infant formulas,
follow-on milks, feeding
bottles or teats.
Complementary foods, such
as
cereals and baby food in small jars, should not be promoted
for use below
the age of six months.
Companies invest millions in
promotion because it is effective: their sales increase.
Are companies in your town
or village following the Code ?
Or are they still trying
to persuade mothers, fathers or
anyone else to buy
and use breastmilk substitutes, feeding bottles or teats?
Are there special
promotions of baby milks in the shops? Do mothers receive gifts, samples
or discount coupons? Do
doctors or nurses
promote artificial feeding instead of breastfeeding? Are there posters,
calendars or other materials in
hospitals or clinics that
advertise
baby milks, baby food, bottles or teats?
Are baby food companies
creating conflicts of interest by sponsoring conferences on infant
feeding for health professionals?
These are just some ways
companies persuade mothers to give up breastfeeding and buy their
products. Can you find any of these or
other examples of promotion? Marketing techniques differ from country to
country. It will be interesting to have an overview.
Let us know
what’s happening!
During World Breastfeeding
Week, from 1 to 7 August we want you to let us know how companies are
marketing their products in your neighbourhood.
You can be a monitor and help protect infant health by following these 3
steps:
1. Download this
form by right-clicking your
mouse here & choosing
"Save Target As..."(you will require Microsoft Word to view/edit it)
2.
Fill up the form (It
is very important that you give detailed information about who, what,
when and where! (which company,
what brand, what day, hospital or magazine or doctors’ office in…place)
3.
Send the completed form (together with
pictures
of any promotional
activity or advertisement that you spot)
to
wbw.2006@yahoo.com
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If you are in the UK, please click
here
If you are in ITALY, please click
here |
Thank
you! We
will be
sharing the
results
on this website as they come in . Please check
here
regularly for updates.
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