Tesco becomes next supermarket to slash the price of baby formula

Yet another supermarket has dropped prices in the latest victory for the Formula for Change campaign (Picture: Getty Images)

Tesco has dramatically altered pricetags on baby formula as supermarkets ramp up competition on the products.

The move marks another victory for the Formula for Change campaign, launched by Metro in partnership with family support charity Feed. We’re fighting to help parents find affordable ways to buy baby formula amid the cost of living crisis.

Today, Tesco announced baby formula ‘cheaper per kg than any other major UK supermarket’.

SIGN THE FORMULA FOR CHANGE PETITION

The retailer has cut the price of 1.2kg tubs of Aptamil baby formula by £1 to £16 and 1.2kg boxes of Cow & Gate by 50p to £12.

Other price cuts include 800g tubs of SMA Little Steps infant formula from £9.75 to £7.95, and Cow & Gate 2 follow on milk 800g tubs falling from £10.50 to £9.65.

Tesco chief commercial officer Ashwin Prasad said the company was ‘focused’ on easing the financial burden on new parents.

He added: ‘We know that it can be particularly tough for those with young families who have all those additional expenses that come with welcoming a new baby.

Feeding bottle with infant formula and powder on violetbackground, flat lay (Credits: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

‘That’s why, today, we have cut the prices of baby milk formula across different pack sizes and brands to help those new parents who need to buy milk formula stretch their budgets a little further.’

In recent months, heartbreaking stories have emerged from families battling to afford formula milk.

Prices have soared by an eye-watering 25% in the past two years.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it has begun a market study into formula supply following findings last November of an initial review into the sector.

While prices of some products had fallen since November, they remain ‘at historically high levels’, the watchdog found.

We are calling on the government to give retailers the green light to accept loyalty points, all food bank vouchers and store gift cards as payment for infant formula (Picture: Metro.co.uk)

Today’s news from Tesco comes after Iceland announced the cheapest baby formula available on supermarket shelves – with a £7.95 price tag for 800g – at the end of February.

In response, discount retailer Aldi dropped the price of its own-brand Mamia Infant First Formula less than 48 hours later.

The supermarket battle to boast the cheapest baby formula on the market comes as Metro’s Formula for Change petition hits 100,000 signatures.

Claie Wilson, Deputy Editor of Metro, said last week: ‘When we first reported on the skyrocketing costs of formula and the heartbreaking steps people were taking to feed their babies, such as watering the powder down or stealing formula, we knew this was an issue we couldn’t ignore.

‘Baby formula isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity for so many families. Getting over 100,000 signatures shows how important the issue is to so many people. It’s huge that we’ve had the likes of Iceland and Mumsnet join our fight, not to mention LadBaby, Michelle Heaton, Monica Lennon MSP and MPs Preet Gill and Wes Streeting. We’re hugely grateful for their support.

‘Now, the government needs to listen and change the archaic rules surrounding formula sales. No baby should be allowed to go hungry because of outdated guidelines and greed.’

Created with family support charity Feed, The Formula for Change campaign calls on the government to change the rules surrounding on how baby formula can be purchased.

Under current guidelines, it falls into the same category as tobacco and lottery items, and aren’t available to buy with cash alternatives.

As a result, cash-strapped families can’t pay for a tub of baby formula using a loyalty card or coupons and retailers are banned from promoting it in any buy-one-get-one-free deal. Although some supermarkets now allow gift vouchers to be used, not all do.