Iceland Foods is calling on the Government to urgently change the law around sales of infant formula.

The supermarket chain is urging the Government to overturn current regulations which prohibit retailers from telling customers about savings on infant formula or allow customers to buy the products with loyalty points, store cards or food bank vouchers.

It is also calling for a review of Healthy Start vouchers, set at £8.50 per week, which have not increased in value since April 2021 but currently do not cover the cost of even the cheapest formula after recent price increases.

Promotions for baby formula for use from birth up to six months are banned in the UK, to ensure they do not discourage breastfeeding.

It follows Iceland defying the regulations last week to make customers aware it was cutting the price of formula milk by more than 20%.

Research conducted by Iceland suggests that 86% of parents with a baby under one are concerned about the rising cost of infant formula.

Iceland Foods executive chairman Richard Walker said: “The benefits of breastfeeding versus using infant formula aren’t up for debate: this is about supporting the choices of UK parents as they navigate the cost-of-living crisis.

“We want the law to change so that retailers can help families feed their children. At Iceland we’ve already cut prices on formula, and by promoting this have defied regulations and attracted complaints.

“The Government needs to show it is doing all it can to help people in the UK, and support retailers like us so that we can do our part without reprisals.”

Iceland’s move comes as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found that online adverts for Boots for four infant formula products broke rules designed to protect breastfeeding.

The ASA made the ruling in response to a complaint that the health and beauty retailer’s infant formula products had been advertised on Google.

Boots apologised for the adverts, saying that they had appeared on search engines in error.