April 2026
Credit: WTML
Welcome to our April newsletter, the contents of which are as follows:
NEWS
Conference Summary: ‘Nourishing Our Future’: Turning Early Years Nutrition Guidance into Practice
New: Best Start in Life Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance
Infant milk news
BFLG-UK news
Forthcoming
News
News: Launch of the Commercial Baby Food Review
We at First Steps Nutrition Trust are proud to announce that we have joined the Commercial Baby Food Review. Working alongside the Obesity Health Alliance, Bremner & Co, Sustain, Planetary Alliance and the University of Leeds. This new cross-sector initiative focuses on improving the nutritional composition and marketing of commercial baby and toddler foods in the UK, through stronger enforced regulations.
Funded by Impact on Urban Health, the Review brings together specialists in early years nutrition, food policy, public affairs, advocacy, public health and academia to drive population change with measurable benefits for child health and equality. The initiative will focus on tackling systemic inequalities in infant and young child feeding, including the disproportionate impact that unhealthy, inappropriate products and misleading marketing can have on low-income families.
The problems are not new, but they have long been ignored. Important new research published in the last year (summarised in our May 2025 newsletter) highlighted ongoing, serious concerns with the baby food retail offer. Key findings included:
Product Composition
Around a quarter of all products would need a front-of-pack warning for high sugar
41% of main meals were high in sugar
Cheaper options were often higher in sugar, more watery, and less nutritious, raising further concerns about affordability and inequalities
Labelling and Marketing
Every product carried nutritional or marketing claims
Many products labelled for use from 4 months of age, against public health recommendations
Parent Insight
92% of parents with children aged 0-3 use commercial baby and toddler foods
40% of parents with babies under 6 months use these products daily
The Review comes at a pivotal moment. With voluntary guidelines published in August 2025, the 18-month implementation period is well underway, and pressure is growing on manufacturers and retailers to make meaningful improvements. The Review will work to develop practical, evidence-informed policy solutions that strengthen accountability, support regulatory reform, improve the commercial baby food retail offer, and better protect babies’ and young children's health.
This opinion piece of ours in the Grocer “Baby food guidelines: Why we’re still waiting for real progress” highlights the need for sufficient scrutiny of baby food company actions in response to the voluntary guidelines.
You can read an interview about the Review, between our Director Vicky and Bremner and Co partner, Dayna Brackley here: “Baby pouches and health halos: the new partnership demanding better baby food”.
New: Food Foundation survey showing the multiple barriers families face feeding under 5s healthy diets
The Food Foundation published the results of their latest food insecurity monitoring in March (see here) and reported that 15.3% of households with children reported experiencing food insecurity in January 2026, compared to 10.9% for households without children. Food insecurity means having to have smaller meals or skipping meals, not eating when hungry, or having to go a whole day without eating because of being unable to access or afford enough food at any point in the past month.
Food insecurity impacts on nutrition, with the survey finding food insecure households reporting cutting back on purchases of fruit (53.1%) and vegetables (39.9%), which could in turn impact on the diets of young children and contribute to some of the inequalities in consumption. Dietary inequalities fuel rising levels of childhood obesity and persistently high levels of dental decay.
Nearly three quarters (74%) of survey respondents with children aged 1-4 years reported at least one barrier to feeding their child what they would like. The graph shows the multiple barriers reported by families of young children:
This graph shows what families said would help them to feed their young children better:
We back the Food Foundation’s calls for:
Improving the Healthy Start scheme (expanding eligibility to include children aged four, increasing the payment amounts to ensure it keeps in line with food inflation, and automatically registering all eligible families onto the Healthy Start scheme).
Improving Free Early Years Meals (removing additional conditions attached to eligibility).
Strengthening regulations on the promotion and marketing of unhealthy foods directed at young children (including mandating standards for commercial baby and toddler foods, as per our work on the Commercial Baby Foods Review, outlined above).
News: Investigation shows many branded, children’s vitamin D products do not contain enough vitamin D
On March 21st, the Times reported the results of an investigation in to branded, children’s vitamin D products which suggested that parents are being misled over dosages. The issue is that many supplements are labelled as meeting 100% of the ‘Nutrient Reference Value’ while containing less than the 10 micrograms of vitamin D that the NHS recommends is given to all children aged 1-<5 years daily (and to breastfed babies from birth, unless they are drinking 500ml or more formula a day).
This infographic from the BMJ summarises current public health recommendations for vitamin supplements for babies and young children (nb. Healthy Start vitamins can be used from birth).
Key takeaways for parents of <5s and health workers supporting them:
Branded supplements are usually not the best choice, they come with a price tag, they may not provide what the child needs (as outlined in the infographic above) plus may add to excess sugar intakes
Pharmacy own-brand vitamin D supplements are usually the better choice
Healthy Start vitamins (providing vitamins D, C and A) provide the right doses, are FREE to eligible, low-income families (and all families of <4s in some areas) and can be bought online at low cost.
Our Eating Well guides provide practical guidance on feeding babies and young children under 5 years of age and include advice on vitamin supplementation. These guides can be access for FREE or a donation (and some can be bought as hard copies) from our main website, here: https://www.firststepsnutrition.org/eating-well-resources.
Conference Summary: Imperial Ultra-Processed Food Policy Forum -Assessing the science and advancing regulatory and policy responses to ultra-processed foods
Our Director, Vicky, was honoured to be among 15 distinguished speakers at this second UPF forum at Imperial College London on March 24th. The purpose of the event was to examine the latest evidence on Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) and to identify practical policy responses to their growing role in diets and disease.
Below are some highlights from Imperial’s Annabel Culley’s news piece on the event, and some extra detail from Vicky’s presentation.
The State of Evidence behind Ultra-Processed Food
Professor Carlos Augusto Monteiro gave the keynote, summarising the state of scientific understanding linking UPFs with ill health. He summarised and built on the Lancet series paper 1 published last year (read about this in our December 2025 newsletter), highlighting that the problem with UPFs lies not only in their nutritional profile, but in the very processes, ingredients and additive combinations used to manufacture them, which drive overconsumption and damage health through multiple pathways. He also addressed some of the criticisms of UPF research.
Dr Matilde Touvier presented her work on the mechanisms by which UPFs harm health.
Dr Ashley Gearhardt presented on the addictive properties of UPFs and how modern processing optimises sensory appeal and intensity, speed of delivery, and drives repeat consumption.
Dr Sam Dicken presented the UPDATE randomised controlled trial findings, comparing the health effects of two diets meeting the current UK national dietary guidelines, one UPF-based and one made of minimally processed foods.
UPF Policy Landscape
The second part of the conference focused on the direction of UPF policy research. Professor Adam Briggs introduced three new NIHR-funded research projects building the evidence base needed to develop and justify effective policy interventions in the UK. Thereafter, Professor Sassi, Dr Eszter Vamos and Dr Dan Derbyshire spoke about these three new projects and how findings will be translated into actionable policy recommendations. We at First Steps are collaborating on the project being led by Eszter (‘Identifying and evaluating policy mechanisms to reduce ultra-processed food consumption in the UK: health, equity and economic impacts’), along with friends at the Soil Association and Sustain’s Children’s Food Campaign
Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe outlined the WHO’s current direction on UPF policy guidance, including work to establish internationally harmonised definitions and evaluate policy tools such as front-of-pack labelling, marketing restrictions, and taxation.
Dr Fabio Gomes of the Pan American Health Organisation presented evidence from Latin America, where countries including Brazil, Chile, and Mexico have implemented some of the most comprehensive food labelling and advertising regulations in the world.
Practical Steps to Action
In the afternoon, speakers including Vicky, spoke about specific policy levers available to governments seeking to reduce UPF consumption and improve diet quality.
Dr Austin Frerick spoke about anti-trust policies and institutional procurement to help break cartels and monopolies in the food system.
Dr Mathilde Touvier showed how front-of-pack labelling can empower consumers to identify and limit UPF exposure, while incentivising reformulation.
Dr Magdalena Muc presented evidence to show that loopholes in UK healthy food marketing restrictions need closing to limit young people’s exposure to UPF marketing.
And finally, our Director, Vicky presented on the policy options to rebalance early years diets away from UPFs, as follows:
Policies that seek to reduce UPF consumption in the early years:
Address processing in dietary guidelines and education as well as nutrients and foods
Restrict marketing of commercial milk formulas (and bottles and teats)
Mandate the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in law, and properly enforce
Plain labels for infant formula
Tax unnecessary growing up and toddler milks and drinks
Restrict marketing of commercial baby and toddler foods
Update current laws in line with the WHO Europe Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model and UK public health recommendations (noting that while this would address many issues with the retail offer, additional work is needed to address texture, contaminants and additives)
Address UPFs in nutrition guidelines for early years settings (and school food) as well as nutrients and foods, e.g. explicit guidance to avoid commercial baby and toddler foods
Policies that seek to increase consumption of nutritious, minimally processed foods in the early years:
Ensure accessible, practical support for breastfeeding and legal protections (including adequate paid maternity leave)
Implement healthy food subsidy / nutrition safety schemes, e.g. Healthy Start
Ensure adequate practical support for complementary feeding based on nutritious minimally processed (requires adequate community health workers e.g. health visitors)
Mandatory food standards for early years settings, based on nutritious minimally processed foods
The Way Forward
Following the above presentations, Dr Dolly van Tulleken hosted a panel to investigate the gap between evidence and political action.
Ben Coleman MP emphasised that affordability and equity should remain a key focus in discussions around UPF policy. Baroness Walmsley stated that although the government has introduced a range of policies recommended within the House of Lords Report on Food, Diet and Obesity, the government need to go further and faster with its interventions.
Closing the conference, Henry Dimbleby concluded by highlighting the progress that has already been made, noting that 94% of people in the UK know that UPFs are bad for their health. He emphasised that the power lies in giving support for positive policies such as teaching cooking in schools and – reiterating the point Vicky made in her presentation - enabling breastfeeding.
To conclude, the forum highlighted growing international consensus regarding the growing evidence linking UPFs to poor health outcomes and how the policy debate is shifting from whether to act, to how to act.
Huge congratulations to the team at Imperial for a thought provoking and motivating day and for inviting us to share our expertise at the intersection of early years nutrition policy, practice and research and ultra-processed foods.
The presentations from the day can be watched on You Tube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otuq6YRfLeU.
Conference Summary: ‘Nourishing Our Future’: Turning Early Years Nutrition Guidance into Practice
On 14th March 2026, our nutritionist Sara attended and exhibited the Nourishing Our Future (NOF) Conference, an inspiring event that highlighted the impact of the NOF on nutrition in early years settings across Essex.
What is Nourishing Our Future?
Nourishing Our Future began as a research programme focused on food and nutrition in early years settings, including nurseries, pre- schools, childminders and nursery classes caring for children from birth to age five. While the importance of nutrition in schools is well recognised, there has historically been far less focus on food in early years settings, despite its critical role in children’s growth, development and longer-term health.
The research was led by Anglia Ruskin University and commissioned by Essex County Council Public Health, who identified early years settings as a key priority within the county’s Healthy Weight Strategy (2024 to 2034), in light of local data showing that 21% of children aged 4 to 5 in Essex live with overweight or obesity, and 22% experience tooth decay. These challenges are closely linked to diet and dietary patterns established in early childhood.
Despite the existence of national guidance, the NOF research identified that early years settings often found it complex and difficult to interpret in practice. While many settings already had food policies in place, practitioners frequently reported uncertainty around portion sizes, menu planning, lunchbox expectations and how to engage parents confidently around healthy eating.
From Research to Action: The NOF Award
In response to the research findings, the NOF Award was developed in 2025 to support settings to turn evidence and guidance into action. It provides a clear, practical and supportive framework that helps settings understand what good practice looks like and how to implement it in a manageable way.
Through three progressive levels (Rooting, Sprouting and Blooming), the award supports settings to review and strengthen food and nutrition policies, improve menus, snacks and portion sizes, embed food education and positive mealtime experiences into daily practice, engage parents and carers using consistent, evidence-informed messages, and build staff confidence and shared responsibility around nutrition. It offers practical tools such as templates, training videos, example policies and family-facing resources, enabling settings to make realistic and sustainable improvements rather than expecting rapid or unrealistic change.
Impact and progress across Essex
The Nourishing Our Future Impact Report (2026) demonstrates that the programme is already supporting meaningful change across early years settings in Essex.
Engagement and Reach:
Over 200 early years settings participated in the original research, across all Essex districts.
Within the first six months of the NOF Award launch, 110 early years settings signed up, including childminders, nurseries and preschools.
10% of participating settings are located within the 20% most deprived areas in the country, demonstrating the programme’s reach into communities where food inequality is greatest.
33 settings achieved the Rooting level award during the early phase, with some settings progressing to higher award levels.
Changes in Practice:
83% of settings reported doing something differently because of taking part in the original NOF research.
91% of settings achieving the Rooting level award stated that they had changed their food and nutrition practices. Examples of change included revising snack menus, reducing sugar and ultra-processed foods, introducing clearer lunchbox guidance, improving portion control, and offering a wider variety of fruit, vegetables and home-cooked foods.
Confidence, Knowledge and Culture:
87% of settings reported improvements in staff knowledge, confidence and nutrition-related practice.
67% reported a positive shift in behaviour, attitudes and setting culture, with food becoming more central to wellbeing and learning rather than an operational afterthought.
All settings achieving the Rooting level award reported feeling much more confident in understanding and applying national nutrition guidance.
Impact on Children and Families:
73% of settings reported seeing a positive impact because of changes they had implemented.
Settings described children being more willing to try new foods, showing greater curiosity about food, and experiencing calmer, more positive mealtimes.
Many practitioners reported stronger engagement with parents and carers, including healthier lunchboxes, improved portion awareness and more consistent messaging between setting and home.
Reflections from the Conference
A strong theme throughout the conference was the dedication of early years professionals across a wide range of roles, including head teachers, managers and catering staff, all contributing to children’s food experiences and nutrition. Their commitment was celebrated alongside honest discussion of the financial, practical and emotional pressures faced by many settings.
Practitioners shared practical examples of change, from improved menus and food policies to creative ways of involving children and families in food education. It was clear that NOF has helped build shared understanding and confidence, supporting settings to prioritise nutrition while promoting positive, pressure-free relationships with food.
Implications for Future Policy
The NOF award has been presented as a best practice case study of how to implement the new National EYFS Nutrition Guidance (read more about this in our June 2025 newsletter) and has been shared with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, the Department of Education and the Local Government Association. NOF provides a strong example of how national ambitions, including the Best Start in Life agenda, the NHS focus on prevention, and local Healthy Weight strategies, can be translated into meaningful action in early years settings.
While funding and capacity vary across local authorities, the programme highlights the potential benefits of prioritising early years nutrition as part of a preventative public health approach that can help reduce health inequalities. Over time, such investment has the potential to support improved health outcomes for children and families and reduce longer-term pressure on health services, reinforcing the case for sustained and targeted support for early years nutrition at both local and national levels.
Find Out More
To learn more about the Nourishing Our Future programme, visit:
Website: https://nourishingourfuture.co.uk/about/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DqiemrLNs/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishingourfuture/
Supporting Settings with Trusted Resources
Access to clear, impartial, evidence-based resources can further support early years settings to put guidance into practice. At First Steps Nutrition Trust, we provide practical resources that many settings and parents find helpful, including:
New: Best Start in Life Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance
On March 30th, the Department for Education issued new guidance to help local authorities provide Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies services from April 2026 to March 2029.
As promised in “Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies: preparing for implementation from April 2026” published in December 2025, the new guidance comprises:
Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies: guidance for local authorities
Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies: wider service expectations
The first two documents contain content related to infant feeding (i.e. breastfeeding and formula feeding) and (a small amount of information on) healthy growth and nutrition support. (Curiously there is no explicit mention of supporting families with complementary feeding or indicators related to this, which seems like an important omission which we will follow up on with the Department of Education).
Infant feeding is part of the core offer of every hub, as a part of the preventative and universal Healthy Babies services.
The guidance outlines that: “Local authorities should strengthen local provision through commissioning, workforce development and accessible support that enables informed choices and improved outcomes. These expectations aim to ensure families receive consistent, evidence based infant feeding support that enables informed choices and improved outcomes”.
Core service goals for infant feeding are: “promoting breastfeeding and infant feeding support, using community venues and peer networks, and normalising breastfeeding through campaigns and community partnerships”.
The guidance includes mention of:
Ensuring all infant feeding provision is informed by relevant NICE clinical guidance and UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) standards.
Ensuring BSFH staff can raise the topic of infant feeding with families, including fathers and co-parents, in an informed and sensitive way and are knowledgeable about: the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and child and safe and responsive feeding more generally, including formula feeding.
It states that local authorities receiving Healthy Babies funding should:
Provide clear, evidence-based information and advice so families can make informed decisions about feeding their baby.
Make evidence-based information available that explains the benefits of breastfeeding and supports all infant feeding choices, including guidance on safe formula use and the nutritional equivalence of all first-stage infant formula.
Our evidence-based resources at First Steps Nutrition Trust are relevant to the infant feeding offer expected in Best Start Family Hubs and under the Healthy Babies initiative, and to meeting the wider service expectations:
Our simple guide to breastmilk and breastfeeding is available here.
Parent/carer facing resources on infant milks are available here: https://www.firststepsnutrition.org/parents-carers.
Health worker facing resources on infant milks are available here: https://www.firststepsnutrition.org/infant-milks-health-workers and on our dedicated website www.infantmilkinfo.org.
Lastly, our FREE Eating Well resources provide practical, pictorial guidance for feeding babies under 1 (including the how, what and why of complementary feeding), and young children between 1 and <5 years of age, see here: https://www.firststepsnutrition.org/eating-well-resources. Of particular relevance to supporting complementary feeding are:
New: First Steps Nutrition Trust 2025 Impact Report
We published our 2025 impact report in March, which you can find on our home page here. Key achievements are summarised in this infographic:
Our work is made possible by the generous support of a small number of funders and individual donations. To maintain our independence, we do not take money from the baby food industry. If you’re interested and able to support our ongoing work in to the future, we would love to hear from you. You can make a donation here or email us on admin@firststepsnutrition.org.
Infant Milk News
ICYMI: Useful resources in light of recalls and price rises
There are no new developments to report this month; however, the impact of earlier product recalls and price increases continues to affect many families. As we previously reported in our February newsletter, the Food Standards Agency issued alerts regarding several formula products contaminated, or potentially contaminated, with cereulide toxin, which can cause rapid-onset gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. Healthcare practitioners should continue to advise parents and carers who use formula to check batch numbers carefully and avoid any recalled products, as outlined in our statement, here.
Practitioners should also reinforce that powdered infant formula is not sterile. Parents and carers should be supported to follow NHS guidance when preparing feeds, particularly the recommendation to use water that has been boiled and cooled to no less than 70°C before mixing with the powder, as this helps to kill any bacteria that may be present.
Although supply issues have improved, some families may still experience difficulties accessing their usual products. Our infographics to support parents and carers in identifying suitable alternatives and lowest cost options, can be found on our main website, here. Updated materials on formula pricing, including the lowest-cost options available to families can be found on our infant milk info website, here.
We at First Steps Nutrition Trust continue to advocate for stronger government action to ensure the safety and affordability of infant formula, particularly during contamination incidents and supply disruptions. Such policies must of course, also prioritise the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding as the normal way to feed babies, and its significant benefits for infant and maternal health, as well as its role in supporting infant food security. We will share a more detailed policy briefing in due course.
For infant milk information for health workers, please visit our website www.infantmilkinfo.org. If you can’t find what you’re looking for please email rachel@firststepsnutrition.org
Baby Feeding Law Group news
News: BMJ Article Raises Concerns About Formula Sponsored Survey Circulated by Midwifery Journal
On 25 March 2026, The British Medical Journal published a news article after we raised concerns about an industry-led survey circulated to midwives and health visitors by the British Journal of Midwifery. The survey, sent out in February, was sponsored by SMA infant formula (owned by Nestlé) and included entry into a prize draw for £100 Amazon vouchers.
Dr Victoria Thomas, consultant paediatrician and co-chair of the Hospital Infant Feeding Network, said: “I do not think it is appropriate for a scientific journal to send out a survey such as this. It does constitute marketing, and I suspect the company is also trying to obtain additional marketing levers to use with professionals and consumers.”
While the survey states that breastfeeding is the best feeding option, all questions focused on formula feeding and infant gut health. One question asked respondents to rank SMA in comparison with four other formula brands, without the option to state that all are nutritionally equivalent. Dr Victoria Thomas said this was a “deeply misleading omission”, given NHS guidance that all infant formula sold in the UK is regulated to the same standards, regardless of brand or price.
Our senior nutritionist Katie was also quoted in the article: “This constitutes promotional marketing by the company to health professionals, a problematic practice that has been documented by researchers as a way for companies to create brand awareness, thereby influencing healthcare professionals to use and recommend their products.”
UK legislation and international guidance set clear limits on how infant formula companies can engage with health professionals, restricting this to factual and non-promotional information. These safeguards exist to protect breastfeeding and to help ensure that families receive clear, reliable advice that does not increase confusion or place unnecessary financial pressure on parents. Professional journals and organisations therefore play an important role in maintaining ethical standards in maternal and infant health.
The British Journal of Midwifery, which is published by the Mark Allen Group, has previously been criticised for accepting funding and sponsorship from infant formula companies in relation to professional events. Such arrangements create conflicts of interest, particularly where international guidance, including the World Health Organization International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, seeks to keep professional education separate from commercial influence. Clear boundaries are needed to support consistent, evidence based infant feeding practice.
Our advice: If you care about protecting infant feeding from commercialisation, we suggest you avoid this publisher, this journal and this survey.
We at First Steps Nutrition Trust act as secretariat for the Baby Feeding Law Group UK, which campaigns for stronger UK regulation of breastmilk substitute marketing in line with the Code and resolutions. Health professionals who want to ensure their practice aligns with the Code can find practical guidance in Unicef UK Baby Friendly’s ‘Guide to working within the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes’. In addition, comprehensive, independent information on all infant milks on the UK market can be accessed for free on our website, www.infantmilkinfo.org as an alternative to relying on company websites.
For more information about the BFLG-UK please visit our website Baby Feeding Law Group UK (bflg-uk.org) and sign up to our twitter (X) account @BflgUk. You can also email katie@firststepsnutrition.org
Forthcoming
An update of First Steps’ Eating Well Healthy Start and Best Start Foods, a practical guide
On April 6th, the monetary allowance provided by the Healthy Start and Best Start Food Schemes increased by 10%.
Given these increases, and changes in public health recommendations in recent years, we have been working hard to update the current, 2022 version of Healthy Start and Best Start Foods – A practical guide – our guide to support beneficiaries of the schemes. The 2026 version will be available later this month on our website here: https://www.firststepsnutrition.org/eating-well-resources. We will announce its publication on our social media channels and will share in our May newsletter.
If anyone is interested in placing an order for hard copies of this resource, please contact admin@firststepsnutrition.org.
New ‘bite sized’ resources (posters, leaflets and recipe cards) are also under development for use in Family Hubs and food bank settings.
Watch this space!
The iHV Evidence Based Practice conference, Bournemouth, May 6th
The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) will be hosting a full-day Evidence-based Practice Conference 2026, with the theme “From Evidence to Action: Getting it right from the start”, at Bournemouth International Centre on Wednesday 6 May 2026. Our Director, Vicky will be doing an oral presentation on Starting solids and the latest public health recommendations on shop bought baby foods. You can book your tickets here.
The Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative virtual conference, virtual, November 18-19th
This annual conference brings together those involved in the care of babies, their parents and families to learn about the latest research and innovations in infant feeding and relationship building.
The 2026 conference is now open for bookings -find out more here: 2026 Virtual Conference - Baby Friendly Initiative. The early booking discount is available until July 31st.
