Government urged to restrict marketing of commercial ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks

Anyone looking in UK supermarket baby aisles will find an expanding range of so-called ‘Growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks, extensively marketed for and consumed by children over 12 months of age.  

Whilst official public health guidance states that formula is unnecessary after 1 year of age,  that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages should be minimised in children and that young children should be given milk or water as their main drinks, as well as breastmilk (NHS, 2024; SACN, 2023), companies still cleverly market and package these commercial products as part of infant weaning and toddler nutrition.

The new report from Sustain member the First Steps Nutrition Trust highlights major concerns with this growing market which, unlike infant formula, remains outside of legislation on product composition and marketing.

• Formula including ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks are now the top source of free sugars in the diets of 12-to-18-month-olds, contributing a whopping 49.8% of total free sugar intake amongst children consuming them.
• For 14 of the 16 ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks and drinks marketed for 1–2-year-old children, the consumption of just 350 ml of these products alone would result in them consuming significantly more than the recommended maximum 5% energy intake from free sugars (including maltodextrins). 
• Manufacturers market ’growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks and drinks using misleading nutrition and health claims. They are also branding and using them to cross promote infant formula, which is a much more tightly regulated market.  

Ultimately these products can also displace more nutritious, minimally processed and unprocessed foods essential for optimal growth, health, and development, starting with breastmilk. 

In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, these unregulated ‘growing up milks can also mean parents could be spending on average £14 per month more on these unnecessary processed commercial products compared to regular cows’ milk.

First Steps Nutrition Trust is making the following recommendations to the government to ensure families are able to access clear, transparent and accurate information that is in line with public health guidance:

1. Regulate the marketing of ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks and drinks by strengthening existing UK regulations in line with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and all subsequent World Health Assembly Resolutions. Companies should be prevented from marketing drinks for children over 1 year of age by extending a formula range, including through use of misleading stage numbers. Compliance needs to be independently monitored and enforced.
2. Shorter term, the government should ensure the forthcoming UK “Voluntary industry guidelines for commercial baby foods and drinks aimed at children aged up to 36 months” addresses the marketing of ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks and drinks.
3. Mandate front of pack free sugar warnings on ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milk and drink labels to provide clearer information on free sugar content relative to the needs of young children. 
4. Undertake a public health campaign to raise awareness that ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks and drinks are not recommended, and to reiterate public health guidance on appropriate drinks for young children.
5. Reduce the amount of sugar in ‘growing up’ and ‘toddler’ milks and drinks by ensuring that initiatives to encourage or mandate reformulation of foods and drinks to reduce sugar include these products, including the “Voluntary industry guidelines for commercial baby foods and drinks aimed at children aged up to 36 months” and the Soft Drinks Industry Levy.

Read the full report and recommendations