Baby Foods: Nutrition and Marketing

Baroness Hughes of Stretford Excerpts

Tuesday 24th June 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Hughes of Stretford]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to improve nutritional and marketing standards for baby foods.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)]

My Lords, foods for infants and young children must meet regulations on nutrition, composition and labelling standards. We expect industry to improve nutritional content and labelling of baby foods, including taking voluntary action to align products with dietary guidelines and best practice. This Government are committed to raising the healthiest generation of children, which is why we are investing £57 million in Start for Life services to improve infant health and feeding, and to provide support to parents.

[Baroness Hughes of Stretford (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for her Answer. In response to mounting evidence of and concern about the poor nutritional and high sugar content in commercial baby foods, despite their being marketed as a healthy substitute for home-cooked food, the NHS has issued new guidance advising parents not to use these products every day, but only occasionally, if at all. Given that the crucial development in infancy depends on the best possible nutrition, that it is in these early years that lifelong eating habits and tastes can become entrenched, and in view of the escalating crisis in childhood obesity, will the Government now regulate what is sold as baby food and how it is marketed to parents?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I share my noble friend’s views and concerns, and I recognise that the current situation is not good enough. Current regulations set nutritional standards, and we continue to push industry to go further to reduce the sugar content in baby foods. We welcome the recent updates to advice for parents and carers on the Start for Life website—picking up on the particular point that commercial baby foods can be used as part of a baby’s diet but should not be used as the primary source of nutrition for infants—and completely recognise my noble friend’s acknowledgement of how important the first 1,001 days of a baby’s life are for the rest of their lives.