Hyderabad doctors blame surrogate formula marketing as breastfeeding rates drop to 55.8%

Exclusive breastfeeding rates for infants under six months in India have dropped from 63.7 per cent to 55.8 per cent, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) data. Public health experts and pediatricians in Hyderabad have blamed this sharp decline on a surge in commercial milk formula sales driven by sophisticated "surrogate marketing" designed to bypass advertising laws.

Under the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (IMS) Act, direct promotion and advertising of infant formula are legally prohibited in India. However, health experts state that commercial milk formula companies are circumventing these restrictions by using indirect digital campaigns, social media influencers, and partnerships with medical professionals.

Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, a senior pediatrician from Hyderabad, explained that surrogate marketing has become a highly popular tactic to exploit loopholes in the IMS Act.

"Surrogate marketing for formula milk is the 'in thing' now," Dr. Santosh said. "That’s how they are circumventing the loopholes in the IMS Act. Mostly pediatricians and celebrities for sure. Including some pediatricians who appear on national media and prominent social media channels."

According to local doctors, these companies build brand image by funding expert panels of pediatricians, hosting educational webinars, creating training modules, and sponsoring corporate-funded conferences and workshops for pediatricians and dietitians. This "educational" content is presented to parents as scientific guidance on child wellness rather than advertising.

Public health advocates warn that when trusted medical professionals and parenting influencers align with corporate imagery, it blurs the line between objective medical advice and commercial promotion. For recovering mothers, especially those recovering from C-sections, this expert-led messaging can make formula milk seem like a modern, scientific, and convenient alternative, causing them to stop breastfeeding early.

This trend aligns with findings from a 2023 Lancet series on breastfeeding, which revealed that the commercial milk formula industry uses underhanded marketing strategies to exploit parents' vulnerabilities, turning child feeding into a multibillion-dollar business.