An advocate for breastfeeding says a revised code for how infant formula is marketed in New Zealand is weak and too easy for companies to ignore.
The Infant Formula Council's code of practice announced at Parliament on Thursday says all formula must promote and protect breastfeeding while also ensuring the proper use of breast milk substitutes when needed.
The code follows recommendations from the World Health Organisation which say that when a baby can't receive breast milk the only safe alternative is formula.
It also sets out rules about the information that manufacturers must supply with formula.
A spokesperson for the Infant Feeding Association of New Zealand says the code for the country is not as strict as what is set out in the WHO guidelines.
David Newton says breastfeeding is always better than formula and it's important that big businesses don't put profits ahead of babies' health and wellbeing.
The biggest change announced was about how donated infant formula is managed during emergencies like the Christchurch earthquake.
The code says donated formula must go to a health agency first rather than straight to a consumer.
