Cost of baby formula is steep
Parents in Greece pay for baby formula up to three times as much as in other European countries including countries like Finland and Sweden, according to a price survey carried out in November in three price collections by Greece’s Competition Commission, a finding that shows that the market in question is anything but operating competitively in Greece.
In fact, prices in Greece are considerably higher than those in the rest of the Europe for all 10 different milk products for the first and second infant age, all products of large multinational companies, that the Competition Commission examined.
The findings are extremely worrying, not only because they show that raising a child in Greece from the day of their birth looks like a luxury, but also because it comes 12 years after the state’s decision to make infant formula available in supermarkets as well, with the aim of reducing prices. Until the end of 2011 it was only sold in pharmacies.
Developments in this market are more than important, since until the age of 6 months milk is the only food for infants. In Greece, it should be noted, less than 50% of infants are fed breast milk.
The products examined in the context of the research by the Competition Commission are the following in the category of infant milk (0-6 months): Frisolac (by Friesland Campina), Almiron 1 and Milupa 1 (by Danone – Nutricia), NAN Optipro 1 (by Nestle) and Novalac 1 (by VIAN) . In the second infant milk category (6-12 months) the following products were examined: Frisomel 2 (by Friesland Campina), Almiron 2 and Milupa 2 – Milupa Aptamil (by Danone – Nutricia), NAN Optipro 2 (by Nestle) and Novalac 2 (by VIAN).
From the prices recorded through the online stores of the two largest supermarkets in each EU member-state and from an e-pharmacy in each country, as pharmacies continue to make significant sales – especially in early-month infant formula – it emerged that Greece is the country with the highest prices, including VAT, for the examined types of formula in the European Union.
