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Parents struggling with the “unfair” cost of baby formula have called for a change in the market.
Danielle Clarke, who has an eight-month-old son, told Sky News she has struggled with the “scary world” of being a new parent.
“You have a baby and then it’s literally like ‘what milk do I buy?” said Danielle, who lives near Chester.
“Do I buy the most expensive one because is that is going to be better or the cheaper one to save myself some money?
“Is there a difference between the two? You have absolutely no idea and it is such a scary world being a new parent.”
Danielle’s mother Amy Hughes then told Sky News: “It’s just unfair – the whole thing there should be affordability and babies. All the prices should be on an even keel.
“It’s a real shame because it forces people who are really desperate to do things like steal it and it’s wrong.”
It comes as leading charity Feed UK welcomed the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) report that calls for change in the formula milk industry – which it dubbed a “broken system” – and is aimed at easing financial pressures on parents struggling to afford it.
Clare Murphy, co-director of charity Feed, said: “The rising costs of infant formula in recent years has hit those who can least afford it hardest.
“We know some mothers make sacrifices to purchase premium brands on the grounds they believe these are best for their babies, and guilt over not breastfeeding can play a key role in these purchasing decisions,” she said. “This has to end.”
Ultimately, she said, these proposals alone could not fix what amounted to a broken system.
“Despite this widespread need, infant formula remains stigmatised; healthcare professionals face restrictions on discussing it, and many women are left feeling like they have failed when they use it.
“We call on the government to act.”
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