The “Code”
Quinn Goin, CLC
The Purpose of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes: Protecting Families, Not Restricting Choices
When conversations around infant feeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes (often just called “the Code”) come up, there can sometimes be confusion. Some hear about the Code and assume it means being “anti-formula” or restricting access to safe alternatives for feeding babies. But the truth is very different. The Code was never created to vilify formula or those who use it. In fact, formula is lifesaving, necessary, and an essential part of infant feeding for many families worldwide.
Instead, the Code was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF in 1981 to protect families from the aggressive marketing of formula and related products. Its intention is simple but powerful: to make sure parents and caregivers can make truly informed decisions about how they feed their babies, based on evidence and their unique circumstances, not on misleading advertising or pressure from companies with profits in mind.
Formula Is Invaluable, and the Code Recognizes That
There are countless situations where formula is not only appropriate but essential: when breastfeeding is not possible due to medical, social, or personal reasons; when donor milk is not available; or when it is simply the best fit for the family. Formula saves lives every single day, and it deserves recognition as an important tool in infant feeding.
The Code does not limit access to formula, nor does it shame its use. Rather, it ensures that when families choose or need formula, they do so with accurate, unbiased information, and not because of manipulative marketing tactics.
The Role of Healthcare Providers and Lactation Professionals
This is where healthcare professionals, including lactation professionals, carry a profound responsibility. Families look to us for guidance, free from commercial influence. The Code asks us to:
Provide information that is clear, factual, and evidence-based.
Avoid promoting one brand of formula over another.
Refrain from accepting gifts, sponsorships, or incentives from formula companies.
Protect families from subtle marketing tactics that may erode confidence in breastfeeding or manipulate emotions during a vulnerable time.
When we uphold the Code, we foster trust. We send the message that our priority is the health and well-being of families, and not the interests of corporations.
What Happens When the Code Is Not Upheld?
When healthcare providers or IBCLCs disregard the Code, the consequences can be deeply harmful. Families may:
Receive biased recommendations that benefit a company more than the infant.
Lose confidence in breastfeeding because of misleading claims.
Feel pressured, shamed, or confused about their choices.
Experience guilt or mistrust when they later discover their guidance was shaped by marketing, not medicine.
At its worst, violations of the Code can erode the bond of trust between families and healthcare professionals. This trust is essential for supporting infant feeding in all its forms.
Protecting Families Means Respecting All Choices
The heart of the Code is protection: protecting breastfeeding from commercial pressures, protecting formula from being misrepresented, and protecting families’ right to make informed, supported choices.
As healthcare providers and lactation professionals, our commitment is to the families we serve. By upholding the Code, we honor the dignity and agency of families. We ensure they can trust that the guidance they receive is rooted in evidence, compassion, and respect rather than marketing.
Final Thoughts
Breastfeeding is uniquely vulnerable to erosion when commercial interests step in. Formula is not the enemy. It is a vital, lifesaving product. The true threat is the exploitation of parents’ fears, vulnerabilities, and trust in ways that undermine breastfeeding and distort informed choice. This is precisely what the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes seeks to prevent.
By upholding the Code, we protect breastfeeding as the biological and cultural norm, ensuring it can thrive without interference. We affirm families’ right to clear, unbiased information, and we honor formula as a safe alternative when needed, without allowing marketing to diminish confidence in breastfeeding. Most importantly, we safeguard parents’ ability to make feeding decisions with dignity, clarity, and support.
