The Regulations relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children (R 991): A Formula for the Promotion of Breastfeeding or Censorship of Commercial Speech?

Authors

  • Lize Mills Stellenbosch University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2014/v17i1a2212

Keywords:

Freedom of speech, commercial speech, advertising and promotion, public health, best interests of the child, regulation of public health policy

Abstract

The regulation of commercial speech in the interests of public health is an issue which recently has become the topic of numerous debates. Two examples of such governmental regulation are the subjects of discussion in this article, namely the prohibition on the advertising and promotion of tobacco products, as well as the proposed prohibition on the advertising and promotion of infant formulae and other foods and products marketed as being suitable for infants or young children. The article seek to evaluate the recently proposed regulations published in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act in the light of the reasoning by the Supreme Court of Appeal in the British American Tobacco South Africa (Pty) Limited v Minister of Health 463/2011) [2012] ZASCA 107 (20 June 2012) decision, and in particular in terms of the section 36 test of reasonableness and proportionality found in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. It argues that, although the South African Department of Health must be applauded for its attempt at improving public health in the country, some of the provisions of the proposed regulations are not constitutionally sound. It will be contended that, despite the fact that the promotion of breastfeeding is a laudable goal, the introduction only of measures which restrict the right to advertise these types of products will not necessarily achieve this objective.

    ScienceOpen_Log0343215.png

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Literature

Andresen et al 2007 J Trop Pediatr

Andresen E et al "Bacterial contamination and over-dilution of commercial infant formula prepared by HIV-infected mothers in a prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme, South Africa" 2007 J Trop Pediatr 409-414

Berman 2013 AJLM

Berman ML "Commercial Speech Law and Tobacco Marketing: A Comparative Discussion of the United States and Canada" 2013 AJLM 218-236

Bhutta et al 2013 Lancet

Bhutta ZA et al "Evidence-based interventions for improvement of maternal and child nutrition: what can be done and at what cost?" 2013 Lancet published online 6 June http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60996-4 accessed on 21 August 2013

Bishop and Brickhill 2012 JQR

Bishop M and Brickhill J "Constitutional Law: Freedom of Speech" 2012 JQR Apr-Jun 2

Dean 2012 Intellectual Property Forum

Dean OH "Curtailing the use of Tobacco Marks" 2012 Intellectual Property Forum Dec 107-108

Dean "Deprivation of Trade Marks"

Dean OH "Deprivation of Trade Marks through State Interference in their Usage" Inaugural Lecture Presented at the Faculty of Law, Stellenbosch University (21 May 2013)

Del Ponte 1982 BC Int'l & Comp L Rev

Del Ponte KG "Formulating Customary International Law: An Examination of the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes" 1982 BC Int'l & Comp L Rev 377-403

Doherty et al 2011 Bulletin of the World Health Organization

Doherty T et al "Implications of the new WHO guidelines on HIV and infant feeding for child survival in South Africa" 2011 Bulletin of the World Health Organization 62-67 published online 22 November 2010 http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/89/1/10-079798/en/index.html accessed 13 August 2013

Garde 2010 CYELS

Garde A "Freedom of Commercial Expression and Public Health Protection in Europe" 2010 CYELS 225-256

Garde "Freedom of Commercial Expression"

Garde A "Freedom of Commercial Expression and Public Health Protection: The Principle of Proportionality as a Tool to Strike the Balance" in Gormley LW and Shuibhn NN From Single Market to Economic Union - Essays in Honour of John A Usher (Oxford University Press Oxford 2012) 117-133

Heymann, Rauba and Earle 2013 WHO Bulletin

Heymann J, Rauba A and Earle A "Breastfeeding policy: a globally comparative analysis" 2013 WHO Bulletin 398-406

Horta et al Evidence on the Long-term Effects of Breastfeeding

Horta BL et al Evidence on the Long-term Effects of Breastfeeding: Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (WHO Geneva 2007)

Ip et al Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes

Ip S et al Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Rockville 2007)

Johannessen 1994 SAJHR

Johannessen L "Freedom of expression and information in the new South African constitution and its compatibility with international standards" 1994 SAJHR 216-239

Kahn Business Day

Kahn T "Department of Health Publishes Baby Milk Ad Controls" Business Day (13 December 2012) available online http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/media/2012/12/13/department-of-health-publishes-baby-milk-ad-controls accessed 1 August 2013

Latham "Breastfeeding"

Latham MC "Breastfeeding - A Human Rights Issue?" in Freeman M (ed) Children's Rights: Progress and Perspectives (Martinus Nijhoff Leiden 2011) 288-310

Margulies 1997 Int'l J Child Rts

Margulies L "The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes: A model for assuring children's nutrition rights under the law" 1997 Int'l J Child Rts 419-438

Mills 2012 Int'l J Child Rts

Mills L "Selling Happiness in a Meal: Serving the Best Interests of the Child at Breakfast, Lunch and Supper" 2012 Int'l J Child Rts 624-644

Milo, Penfold and Stein "Freedom of Expression"

Milo D, Penfold G and Stein A "Freedom of Expression" in Woolman S and Bishop M (eds) Constitutional Law of South Africa 2nd ed (Juta Cape Town 2013) ch 42

Nel 2004 CILSA

Nel S "Freedom of commercial speech: evaluating the ban on advertising of legal products such as tobacco" 2004 CILSA 65-83

Rauer 2012 AJLM

Rauer A "When the First Amendment and Public Health Collide: The Court's Increasingly Strict Constitutional Scrutiny of Health Regulations that Restrict Commercial Speech" 2012 AJLM 690-712

WHO Handbook of Resolutions and Decisions

World Health Organization Handbook of Resolutions and Decisions of the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board: Volume II 4th ed (WHO Geneva 1981)

WHO Guidelines on HIV and Infant Feeding

World Health Organization Guidelines on HIV and Infant Feeding 2010: Principles and Recommendations for Infant Feeding in the Context of HIV and a Summary of Evidence (WHO Geneva 2010)

Case law

Canada

Canada (Attorney General) v JTI-MacDonald Corp 2007 SCC 30

Ford v Quebec (Attorney General) 1988 2 SCR 712

Irwin Toy v Quebec (Attorney General) 1989 1 SCR 927

R v Oakes 1986 1 SCR 103

RJR-MacDonald, Inc v Canada (Attorney General) 1995 3 SCR 199

European Union

Casado Coca v Spain Series A no 285 (1994) 18 EHHR 1

Groppera v Switzerland Series A no 173 (1990) 12 EHHR 321

Market Intern v Germany Series A no 165 (1990) 12 EHRR 161

South Africa

British American Tobacco South Africa (Pty) Limited v Minister of Health (GNP) unreported case number 60230/2009 of 19 May 2011

British American Tobacco South Africa (Pty) Limited v Minister of Health 2012 ZASCA 107

British American Tobacco South Africa (Pty) Limited v Minister of Health Case (CC) unreported case number 65/12 order of 6 August 2012

Christian Education South Africa v Minister of Education 2000 4 SA 757 (CC)

City of Cape Town v Ad Outpost (Pty) Ltd 2000 2 SA 733 (C)

Glenister v President of the Republic of South Africa 2011 3 SA 347 (CC)

Independent Outdoor Media (Pty) Ltd v City of Cape Town 2013 ZASCA 46

Islamic Unity Convention v Independent Broadcasting Authority 2002 5 BCLR 433 (CC)

North Central Local Council and South Central Local Council v Roundabout Outdoor (Pty) Ltd 2002 2 SA 625 (D)

Prince v President, Cape Law Society 2002 2 SA 794 (CC)

S v Makwanyane 1995 3 SA 391 (CC)

S v Mamabolo (E TV, Business Day and the Freedom of Expression Institute Intervening) 2001 3 SA 409 (CC)

S v Zuma 1995 2 SA 642 (CC)

Shabalala v Attorney-General, Transvaal 1996 1 SA 725 (CC)

United States of America

Liquormart, Inc v Rhode Island 517 US 484 (1996)

Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corp v Public Service Commission of New York 447 US 557 (1980)

Greater New Orleans Broadcasting Association Inc v United States 149 F 3d 334 (5th Cir 1998)

Lorillard Tobacco Co et al v Reilly, Attorney General of Massachusetts, et al 533 US 525 (2001)

RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co v FDA, 823 F Supp 2d 36 (DDC 2011) aff'd 696 F 3d 1205 (DC Cir 2012)

Rubin v Coors Brewing Company 514 US 476 (1995)

Sorrell v IMS Health Inc 131 S Ct 2653 (2011)

Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v Virginia Citizens Consumer Council 425 US 748 (1976)

Legislation

Canada

Tobacco Act SC 1997 c 13 §22(2)

South Africa

Children's Act 38 of 2005

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 200 of 1993

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996

Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997

Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972

Tobacco Products Control Act 83 of 1993

United Kingdom

Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula Regulations 77 of 1995 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/77/contents/made accessed 19 August 2013

Government publications

GN R 1328 in GG 25473 of 26 September 2003 (Regulations Relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children)

GN R 991 in GG 35941 of 6 December 2012 (Regulations Relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children)

GN R 433 in GG 36579 of 18 June 2013 (Regulations Relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children GN R 991 Extension Notice)

International instruments

African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990)

Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)

Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (2002)

Resolution WHA27.43 (1974)

Resolution WHA34.22 (1981) (International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes)

Resolution WHA45.34 (1992)

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2003)

Internet sources

ASA date unknown http://www.asasa.org.za/Default.aspx?mnu_id=109

Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa date unknown Code of Conduct - Appendix E (Advertising of Breast Milk Substitutes, Baby Feeding Bottles and Teats) http://www.asasa.org.za/Default.aspx?mnu_id=109 accessed 7 February 2014

Department of Health 2013 http://www.health.gov.za/docs/regulation/2013/

Revised_Draft_Guidance_Notes.pdf

Department of Health 2013 Draft Guidance for Industry: the Regulations Relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children, R 991 of 6 December 2012 http://www.health.gov.za/docs/regulation/2013/Revised_Draft_Guidance_Notes.pdf accessed 20 August 2013

Försäkringkassen 2012 http://www.forsakringskassan.se/wps/wcm/connect/

f32b72-c3fd-43a9-9c33-038fdad53c00/F%C3%B6r%C3%A4ldrapenning_FK_4070+Fa_enGB.PDF?MOD=AJPERES

Försäkringkassen 2012 Parental Benefit http://www.forsakringskassan.

se/wps/wcm/connect/28f32b72-c3fd-43a9-9c33-038fdad53c00/F%C3%B6r%

C3%A4ldrapenning_FK_4070+Fa_enGB.PDF?MOD=AJPERES accessed 7 February 2014

Paton Business Day

Paton C "Undiluted Liquor Ad Bill Goes to Cabinet" Business Day (26 August 2013) available online http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/media/

/08/26/undiluted-liquor-ad-bill-goes-to-cabinet accessed 30 August 2013

South African Medical Research Council 2004 http://www.mrc.ac.za/bod/sadhs.htm

South African Medical Research Council 2004 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey 2003: Full Report http://www.mrc.ac.za/bod/sadhs.htm accessed 16 August 2013

trade.mar.cx 1998 http://trade.mar.cx/AU779602/

trade.mar.cx 1998Parmalat http://trade.mar.cx/AU779602/ accessed 21 August 2013

WHO 1981 http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/code_english.pdf

World Health Organization 1981 The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/

code_english.pdf accessed 16 April 2013

WHO 1991 http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/bfhi/en/index.html

World Health Organization 1991 The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/bfhi/en/index.html accessed 25 April 2013

WHO 2008 http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/Frequently_ask_

question_Internationalcode.pdf

World Health Organization 2008 The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes - Frequently Asked Questions http://www.who.int/

nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/Frequently_ask_question_Internationalcode.pdf accessed 25 April 2013

WHO 2009 http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/9789241594950/en/index.html

World Health Organization 2009 The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative – Revised and Updated http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/

/en/index.html accessed 25 April 2013

WHO 2011 http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85621/1/9789241505987_eng.pdf

World Health Organization 2011 Country Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes: Status Report http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85621/1/9789241505987_eng.pdf accessed 01 August 2013

WHO and UNICEF 2003 http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2003/9241562218.pdf

World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund 2003 Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2003/9241562218.pdf accessed 25 April 2013

Published

21-04-2017

How to Cite

Mills, L. (2017). The Regulations relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children (R 991): A Formula for the Promotion of Breastfeeding or Censorship of Commercial Speech?. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 17(1), 252–295. https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2014/v17i1a2212

Issue

Section

Articles