Marketing guidelines

Current work is underway to update our marketing efforts in order to meet our obligations under the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (further referred to as International Code). International Code is a set of recommendations to regulate the marketing of human milk substitutes, feeding bottles and teats. This work is current and ongoing as part of our commitment to upholding our obligations to the International Code. 

Of critical significance to Medela, there will be no advertising or other forms of promotion to the general public of feeding bottles and teats. This means:

• Medela will neither idealize bottle feeding (e.g., "Make breastfeeding simple," "Easiest way to feed," "Feeding was never so easy," etc.) nor make any statement that implies similarity with breastfeeding (e.g. "As good as breastfeeding", "Teats shaped just like the nipple of the mums"; "Close to natural breastfeeding" etc.).
• Medela webpages and marketing materials related to feeding bottles and teats will only be factual and will not show images or idealized text. Storage bottles with lids in the context of breast milk storage will be shown.
• Medela webpages related to feeding bottles and teats will not promote, advertise or suggest a: useful or relevant products within our webpages.
• Medela images of storage bottles with lids and expressed milk will be shown in context with expressing milk.
• Medela will not show images of infants being bottle fed, or bottles with teats. Parents and infants will only be shown on packaging or Medela's owned channels in the context of breastfeeding or expressing human milk.
• Medela will not provide, directly or indirectly, to pregnant women, mothers, or members of their family samples of products as outlined within the scope of the International Code. Samples of products within the scope of the International Code will not be provided to health workers except upon request for professional evaluation or research at the institutional level.
• Medela will not use facilities of health care systems to display storage bottles assembled with teats.
• Medela will disclose to the institution to which a recipient health worker is affiliated any contribution made to or on their behalf for fellowships, study tours, research grants, attendance at professional conferences, or the like, and will ensure that the recipient makes similar disclosures.

If you notice any non-compliance to our Medela marketing guidelines, please contact us via this email: marketingguidelines@medela.com.