One small supermarket change 'could save parents £540'

Parents could be pocketing an extra £540 annually by swapping their premium baby milk formula for more economical alternatives. According to a fresh report from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) released this week, parents are suffering "poor outcomes" due to problematic practices within the baby milk sector.

It's common for parents to stick with pricier formulas under the belief that budget-friendly brands are "inferior" despite all brands meeting the same nutritional standards, as stated by the CMA. The CMA's analysis across various formula brands revealed that price differences can significantly weigh on parental wallets over the initial twelve months of a child's life—especially given recent spikes in market prices.

The findings indicate that families can chop a neat £300 off their yearly expenses by opting for less costly offerings like Little Steps, which nutritionally match up to their higher-priced counterparts such as market leader Aptamil. Opting for Aptamil's deluxe range, Aptamil Advanced, instead of something like Little Steps, leads parents to shell out an additional £540.

The CMA report revealed that the cost of many baby formula brands exceeds the weekly value of individuals' benefits, leading some parents to reduce their food intake to afford the formula. The report highlighted that baby milk brands often supply hospitals with formula at below-market prices, as parents tend to remain loyal to the brand they initially use, reports the Mirror.

To help lower costs, the regulator suggests the NHS could offer its own non-branded baby formula to parents. The regulator also proposed that formula should be packaged plainly in hospitals and that parents should be permitted to purchase baby milk in