A few months ago Eva commented that as a result of the crisis, breastfeeding rates were rising. This obviously has an impact on the health of children, for good, but as usual, not the whole mountain is oregano, and This trend is hurting artificial milk manufacturers, which has to look for other markets and other products to continue growing.
Putting it in numbers, the increase in the prevalence of breastfeeding after six months of life has increased by 114% between 2000 and 2010, and it is believed that between 2010 and 2013 the percentage has been able to increase significantly . This has meant that since 2008 the market for infant feeding has fallen by 16%. That is, the cake for the manufacturers of artificial milk and infant feeding is finished, or rather, to be more exact, there is less of the cake to distribute.
The crisis and breastfeeding support as responsible
There are many causes that now cause more women to breastfeed their children, a trend that will likely continue to rise in the near future:
- The increase in unemployment: It makes many mothers remain unemployed when the child is already six or more months old and they are at home with him, being able to breastfeed him with less impediments and that makes them look more for the economy and decide to give the only milk that a mother gets free.
- Lactation support: with breastfeeding support groups doing an unstoppable job, with more and more health professionals trained and able to resolve conflicts and not giving wrong advice, often guilty of the end of breastfeeding.
- Mothers also have more and better information: Thanks to the above, women spend more time caring for their children and also receive more knowledge related to breastfeeding, which gives them confidence and knowing that if they have any problems there are people who can help them.
One of those harmed by all this is José Campos, general director of the Spanish company Ordesa Laboratories, who in an article in El Periódico came to affirm the following:
The increase in breastfeeding and its prolongation is good news, but it affects the market ... The cake of infant feeding has become smaller in Spain for breastfeeding and the fall of birth, and is also more disputed by the entry of new competitors very aggressive in the price.
Despite this, Ordesa has achieved an annual growth of 2%, thanks to the fact that they have expanded their range of products with the creation of a nutrition line for women and another for the elderly. In addition, they have entered new international markets to the point that 55% of the income of this Catalan company already come from outside Spain. Now, apparently, they are trying to enter Mexico, the country they consider "emerging and with a high birth rate".
Without a doubt, we talk about very positive data for children and their health. It is, in fact, that many health professionals have been fighting for years, to achieve that more and more children can feed on their mother's breast milk and ensure that all mothers who want to breastfeed can do so, overcoming obstacles and problems.
The consequence is that the infant feeding market suffers. Well, it's logical. The crisis is ending many markets, and the evolution of society also ends some business styles that seemed immovable or almost eternal (the purchase of music CDs, for example, or video clubs as a source of movies). Ordesa is reinventing itself and that is what other companies will have to do if the trend is this. Law of life, or market law, I'm afraid.
