Approach

PepsiCo understands that it is vital to communicate responsibly about BMS. We support:

• The principles of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes and subsequent resolutions (the Code);
• The World Health Organization’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life and continued breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond; and
• The adoption of science-based laws and regulations that promote optimal feeding practices in the interest of maternal and infant health and nutrition, including policies that codify the Code in national laws and regulations.

Baby foods comprise a small part of our overall operations, accounting for less than 1% of our 2023 reported net revenue. Within our baby foods business, approximately 2% of reported net revenue was derived from infant formula and follow-on formula during the same timeframe.

Though a small part of our business, our portfolio of BMS products can play a crucial role in providing support to families when a baby requires a safe alternative to breast-milk to receive essential energy and nutrients. In these critical early stages of life, we support affordable and social assistance programs for infants and young kids to help ensure access to these critical products in times of need.

We follow Wimm-Bill-Dann’s Policy on the Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, which sets clear standards for products in this category. The policy guides how the company communicates about infant formulas and complementary foods for infants to the general public and healthcare professionals. The policy is binding and applies in all countries where the company sells baby food products, even where local laws and regulations are absent or less stringent. This policy:

• Prohibits the marketing of infant formulas for infants under 12 months to the general public;
• Prohibits bonuses, benefits or quotas tied to the sale of infant formula;
• Specifies the labeling required on infant formulas and complementary foods for infants under 12 months and related informational materials; and
• Places restrictions on company engagement with health systems and healthcare professionals.

We aim to ensure products across our portfolio meet the highest standards for food quality and safety, and we follow Codex Alimentarius Commission product formulation recommendations for infant formula and complementary foods unless they contradict relevant local laws and regulations or are inappropriate due to factors such as climate, geography or technological barriers. For more on how we maintain high safety and quality standards, see Product safety and quality.

Progress

PepsiCo is one of 23 companies to respond to the BMS Call to Action put forth in 2020 by a group of civil society organizations and United Nations agencies. In our response, we affirmed our commitment to the principles of the Code and increased transparency around our BMS marketing policies.

What's next?

As we work to deliver on the BMS Call to Action, we aim to:

• Explore ways to execute independent compliance audits of our BMS policy; and
• Continue to engage with key stakeholders such as the Access to Nutrition Initiative around our BMS portfolio, demonstrating transparency around how we market BMS.