Baby formula sold in Greece is the most expensive in the European Union, and up to 213% more expensive than in Sweden, the Greek Competition Commission has found out in a recent survey. So far, the Committee has not invited the companies involved to give explanation about their pricing policies in the country, compared to EU member states.
The categories of baby formula on which the Competition Committee focused is “0 to 6 months” and “6 to 12 months” in the basic range (ie formula with extra features such as vitamins etc. is excluded), due to the necessity of consumption at these ages, in the cases where milk powder is chosen over breastfeeding.
The companies whose products have been presented in the survey are
- a) Friesland Campina
- b) Danone Nutricia
- c) Nestle
- d) Vian (VIANEX SA).
Specifically, Friesland Campina participates with the products Frisolac 1 (0-6) and Frisomel 2 (6-12). Danone – Nutricia participates with Almiron 1 (0-6) and Almiron 2 (6-12) and Milupa 1 (0-6), Milupa 2 (6-12) (Milupa Aptamil (Greece) = Milupa Milumil (Austria) ). NAN Optipro 1 (0-6) and NAN Optipro 2 (6-12) are being reviewed by Nestle. Finally, from VIAN, whose presence is only in pharmacies, are presented Novalac 1 (0-6) and Novalac 2 (6-12).
For each of the two categories of baby formula, three price collections samples were carried out within November 2023. Namely on November 1, 20 and 30 in the same supermarkets and pharmacies.
The analysis showed that there is no homogeneity in the presence of labels in the member countries of the European Union.
For certain tags there is more data available compared to others. For example, the company Friesland-Campina and the milk Frisolac 0-6 and Frisomel 6-12 there have been comparable prices from only three countries (Greece, Latvia, Lithuania).
For Danone-Nutricia’s Almiron 0-6 and 6-12 months baby formula, there are comparable data from 17 EU member countries, while for the same company’s Milupa 0-6 and 6-12 months, comparable data from only two countries have been collected.For NAN 0-6 and 6-12 months of Nestle comparable prices from 15 EU member countries have been collected, while for Novalac 0-6 and 6-12 of VIANEX SA there are date from 5 EU countries.
The pricing results show Greece to be the country with the highest prices (including VAT) of the considered formula types in the EU.
For Frisolac 0-6 and Frisomel 6-12 the prices in Greece are between 32% and 53% higher compared to the lowest price found in Latvia.
In Greece, the lowest price for Frisolac 0-6 is found in a pharmacy with an online store, while approximately the same price is found in a supermarket in Lithuania.
Research on Almiron 0-6 (Danone- Nutricia) showed that prices in Greece are from 144% to 171% above the lowest price found in Belgium. Almiron 6-12 (Danone- Nutricia) in Greece is sold from 78% to 136% higher than the lowest price for the product found in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Milupa 0-6 and 6-12 milks (Danone – Nutricia) in Greece deviate from 102%-114% from Austria which is the only country where the label is found.
Baby formula NAN 0-6 (Nestle), in Greece, deviates from 167% to 213% from the lowest price found in Finland and Sweden. Correspondingly, the price for NAN 6-12 (Nestle) in Greece is from 146% to 197% higher than the lowest price found in France.
Finally, in Greece, Novalac 0-6 and 6-12 for which the Competition Committee collected comparable data from the pharmacies of five countries (Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy), is 140% to 173% more expensive than the lowest price which is fould in Italy.
Milk is the only food (and source of water) for the infant and therefore its only means of survival, from birth to the first 4 months of its life. It also recommends the baby’s basic food from 5 to 8 months, while it must continue to be included in itsdaily diet until the completion of 12 months.
The low rates of breastfeeding in Europe in general, and in Greece in particular (around 76,000 births in 2022 with less than 50% of infants -according to research- fed with breast milk), are, at the same time, evidence of the choice of milk-formula to meet the survival and development needs of infants.
source: naftemporiki.gr
Blooming ridiculous.😡