High infant formula milk prices are putting babies at risk

We have all seen an increase in the cost of our food shop over the last few years. In March 2023, food price inflation in the UK hit a record peak of 19.1%. But price rises for infant formula milk have been steeper still.

Infant formula, which was already expensive, rose by an average of 22% between 2021 and 2023, and several brands have increased prices since. From May 2025 to May 2026, the average price of an 800g tin of formula increased by 46p to £12.45.

And although it’s possible to forego some of the more expensive items in our shopping baskets to save money, this isn’t possible for infant formula. It’s an essential product for babies who are not breastfed. This is placing significant financial pressure on families.

Our new research explored the experiences of 281 parents who were struggling to afford infant formula for their baby. Almost all described that this was having a detrimental impact upon their mental and physical health, relationships and emotional wellbeing. They felt anxious, guilty and very alone. Some mothers linked high costs and a lack of action from the government to change the situation to causing postnatal depression.

Lots of mothers in our research had wanted to breastfeed but had been unable to get the support they needed to do so. This left them feeling that they had been let down twice when they then struggled to afford the formula their baby needed. Others had tried to carry on breastfeeding through considerable pain to avoid having to pay for infant formula. One mother said:

I cry all the time now. I’m meant to be the one who looks after her and protects her and I’m failing her all because I couldn’t get feeding right and now can’t afford her milk properly.

To afford milk parents described restricting their own food or heating, getting into debt and returning from maternity leave very early. Some had taken milk from a shop without paying as a last resort.

Others coped by adopting behaviour that might put babies at risk of not getting enough nutrients, such as watering down feeds. Some used left over milk for a later feed, which can put babies at risk of gastrointestinal infection. Others asked for unused tubs of formula on local social media marketplaces which had sometimes already been opened. Using opened products can increase the risk of contamination and make babies unwell. Parents were often aware that these decisions were risky and felt distressed over doing them. One said:

I’ve had to use less powder just to be able to, you know, get to a new week, so that I can plan for a new one… The only thing I’ve done during difficult times is I try to use less powder […] which is really bad.

Parents often tried to hide how they were feeling from others. Some were afraid to speak to health professionals in case they thought they could not look after their baby properly. Many hid it from friends and family because they felt ashamed and that they were failing as parents.

Many of the parents in our study were working but were either on a low income or had unreliable hours. For others, maternity leave coupled with considerable recent increases in housing, utilities and childcare costs meant they had little money left over to purchase essentials, including feeding their baby. Despite this, these parents typically earned too much to access support schemes such as Healthy Start and felt that they had been overlooked and let down by the government during what should be a happy time.

Cost of brands

Part of the issue is that misleading marketing strategies lead parents to worry that they need to buy more expensive milks or their baby will miss out. One mother said:

I wanted to breastfeed and when I couldn’t I wanted to buy the best milk on offer but couldn’t afford that and can barely scrape enough together for the cheap ones. This has had a devastating effect on my mental health.

There is a difference in cost of around £11 between the highest and lowest cost infant formula milks. This variation is despite all infant formula being tightly regulated and having very similar nutritional content regardless of price, with no evidence that different products have any superior impacts upon infant health or development.

Infant formula milk does not need to be so expensive. A report by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority estimated that formula manufacturers’ variable gross profit margins were between 50% and 75% in the period from 2019 to 2024, and retail gross profit margins between 18% and 22%.

One intervention could be for the government to set a mandatory price cap or profit limit, as implemented in Greece. A price cap is supported by organisations such as the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative.

A clear strategy for further intervention to protect our smallest and most vulnerable members of society is urgently needed. This should include reliable pathways for parents to access formula milk when in financial crisis, increased investment in breastfeeding support so that fewer women who want to breastfeed end up needing to afford infant formula, and a living wage that means that working parents can afford to care for their baby.

If you are a parent experiencing financial crisis and are unable to purchase formula milk for your baby, please do speak to your health visitor or another health professional.

If you receive benefits you may qualify for the Healthy Start scheme in England and Wales, or the Best Start scheme in Scotland, which can be used to buy infant formula milk. The Independent Food Aid Network can also offer help and support to maximise your income.