Today we are pleased to celebrate the publication of a new, collective vision for breastfeeding and infant feeding in the UK. This vision has been shaped by breastfeeding organisations, practitioners, NGOs and academics across the UK, working together to articulate what all families should be able to expect from a supportive, equitable infant feeding system.
The vision reflects the depth of expertise, leadership and commitment that already exists within the breastfeeding sector. It provides a shared foundation from which organisations can continue to collaborate, advocate and engage with policymakers with clarity and confidence.
This work was commissioned by Impact on Urban Health and convened and coordinated by Bremner & Co, providing practical support for a sector-led process. The priorities, content and direction of the vision were developed by the sector itself.
We are pleased to share this vision publicly and mark the journey that led here.
Phase 1: Building shared understanding
The first phase of the project focused on building a robust, shared evidence base to support sector discussion and advocacy. This involved a detailed review of the current policy, practice and commercial landscape for infant feeding in the UK.
Through interviews with experts across academia, health services, government, charities and advocacy organisations, alongside desk-based research and a media review, this phase captured a comprehensive picture of the factors shaping families’ infant feeding experiences.
The findings were brought together in the report Breastfeeding in Focus, which set out key challenges, opportunities and areas of tension across the system. The report was shared with stakeholders across the sector and was widely welcomed as a useful reference point, with many encouraging its publication and wider use as a reference point for advocacy and policy discussions.
Phase 2: Sector engagement and national symposium
In Phase 2, the report was refined, updated and published (see Breastfeeding in Focus), and used as the basis for wider sector engagement. Practitioners, advocates and policymakers were invited to a national symposium to explore the report’s findings and consider what they meant for future action.
The symposium brought together a broad range of perspectives, spanning local delivery and support systems, equity and culture, workplace support and the commercial environment. Participants worked collaboratively to test ideas, debate priorities and identify areas of shared concern and opportunity.
Discussions from the event were captured in a follow-up summary report, Breastfeeding in Focus: Insights from the Sector Symposium, which reflected the richness of sector expertise and the appetite for continued collaboration and shared learning.
Phase 3: Establishing a lasting legacy
The final phase focused on supporting the sector to strengthen its collective voice and articulate a shared vision for breastfeeding and infant feeding.
This included strategic media support for partners at the Baby Feeding Law Group UK and First Steps Nutrition Trust around the release of the Competition and Markets Authority report on the commercial infant formula industry. This work aimed to support a balanced, constructive public narrative that moved beyond polarised debates and centred the scale and influence of commercial marketing within the infant feeding system.
Alongside this, breastfeeding organisations, practitioners and academics took part in a collaborative process to explore where priorities aligned and how a shared vision could support future advocacy, partnership and engagement with government.
Through consultation, workshops and collaborative drafting, the sector developed a unified vision reflecting themes raised consistently across the project, including the need for:
- Equity-focused support so all families are protected from discrimination, misinformation and commercial pressure
- High-quality, independent and evidence-based guidance delivered with compassion by skilled practitioners, trained peers and healthcare professionals
- Environments that normalise breastfeeding and actively support infant feeding
- Resilient, community-based systems that sustain parents and families
- National leadership on breastfeeding and infant feeding, delivered in partnership with specialist organisations
The shared vision
This shared vision represents a collective statement of ambition from within the breastfeeding sector. It provides a clear reference point for advocacy and collaboration, and a strong foundation for engaging with policymakers at local and national levels.
Thank you to all the organisations and practitioners who contributed their time, insight and leadership throughout this process. The strength of this vision reflects the power and expertise within the sector, as well as the passion and determination to improve breastfeeding and infant feeding support across the UK.
We look forward to seeing how this shared vision grows and drives change in the months and years ahead.