Toddler milk products cashing in on parental guilt?

There’s one problem that infant formula manufacturers face: the consumers keep growing up. Infant formula is only really necessary for babies under the age of 12 months as breast milk substitute. After that, children should be able to get all the nutrients they need from a healthy diet, experts say.

But a number of formula manufacturers have hit on a brilliant solution to the problem of the 12-month window: producing formula for toddlers. A World Health Organization Code has banned the marketing of infant formula for babies under the age of one; however, there is no ban on advertising products for children aged 12 months and over.

However, these ‘junior milk’ products aimed at toddlers offer few nutritional benefits and trade on “parental guilt” that fussy eaters aren’t getting all the nutrients they need, consumer watchdog Choice has claimed.

According to Choice, these products - marketed by Aspen, Nestlé and Nutricia - make “outlandish nutritional claims” and are not necessary for children over the age of one.

“We believe the branding of toddler and junior milk is too similar to infant formula, and acts as proxy advertising for all types of formula,” said Choice journalist Kate Browne. “Older children should be able to meet their nutritional requirements from eating a healthy diet without special toddler milks.”

Some toddler milks claim to “support your toddler’s digestive immune system” or “nutritionally support your child’s immune system and brain development”.

“These are just weasel words. They don’t really mean anything, but they sound good,” said Professor Sandra Jones of the University of Wollongong.

“Perhaps the worst offender who advertises its S26 toddler milk with the claim that it’s the ‘perfect mix of science and love’. However, they have a different message for retailers: ‘keep mums buying even after their little ones turn two’,” said Browne.

“It’s clear food companies are cashing in on parents who are trying to nurse their preschoolers through the seemingly never-ending cycle of colds and tummy bugs. What they don’t tell you is you’d be better off concentrating on developing better eating habits for your child.

“The branding on pack is also confusing, with large ‘3’ and ‘4’ figures depicted by the age panel although they have nothing to do with the age of the child the product is designed for. They seem to be there to deliberately confuse parents.

“Given most healthy one-year-olds are capable of drinking cow’s milk, there is very little point paying a lot more for powdered supplements.”