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Is supermarket own-brand first infant formula the same as branded?

Updated · Checked · By MayTally research desk — Checked against official UK sources

Do I need follow-on formula, hungry-baby milk or growing-up milk?

The NHS Best Start page says there is no need to use follow-on formula. First infant formula remains the main milk drink until 12 months. From 12 months, pasteurised full-fat or semi-skimmed cows', goats' or sheep's milk can be the main milk drink; those milks are not a suitable drink before 12 months (they can go into cooking from about 6 months).

  • Follow-on is labelled from 6 months. The NHS types-of-formula page says research shows no benefit to switching at 6 months, and follow-on must never be given under 6 months. Labels can look similar — read the stage.
  • Hungry-baby / casein-dominant milks are often sold from birth. NHS Highland's formula page says to choose a first infant formula based on cows' or goats' milk and to avoid 'hungry baby', anti-reflux and lactose-free products unless a health professional has advised them.
  • Growing-up / toddler milks are a different category. NHS Highland notes they are not under the same composition laws as infant formula and should not be given under 12 months.

Specialist formula (including foods for special medical purposes) is a clinical product. Use it only if a midwife, health visitor, GP or paediatric dietitian has advised that tin. This page is not a diagnosis.

Why did the hospital send us home with a branded carton?

Many postnatal wards stock one contracted brand. That is a purchasing choice, not an NHS statement that own-brand is a lesser product. The CMA study, as summarised by GOV.UK, found families often stick with a familiar brand and use price as a stand-in for quality, including after a hospital stay.

The government response says more can be done to limit unintended promotion of particular brands in healthcare settings, and it discusses using competitively priced formula in those settings. Until that is local practice, the tin in the discharge bag can still be a branded first infant formula. The legal composition rules that apply in the supermarket aisle also applied to that carton.

How do I switch from a branded tin to own-brand first infant formula?

If the baby is on first infant formula (stage 1) and no clinician has prescribed a specialist milk, the NHS position is that another first infant formula sold in the UK meets the same legal standards. Taste can differ, which is a preference issue, not a nutrient gap.

  1. Confirm it is first infant formula The tin should say first infant formula or first milk, suitable from birth. Do not 'step up' to follow-on to make a switch.
  2. Check you are not on a prescribed specialist milk If a clinician named a hydrolysed, amino-acid, anti-reflux or other medical product, stay on that advice until they change it.
  3. Make feeds the NHS way Use the NHS instructions for making up a feed. Scoop sizes differ by brand — use the scoop in that tin, not the old one.
  4. Give it a few days, then ask if needed The NHS types-of-formula page says to talk to a midwife or health visitor if you think a particular brand disagrees with the baby. They can help you decide whether to try a different first infant formula — not whether to jump to follow-on.

In shortIn short: own-brand first infant formula is sold under the same UK composition law as branded first infant formula. The NHS says brand does not matter and follow-on is not needed. Specialist tins stay on clinical advice. This page does not pick a cheapest supermarket.

Questions parents ask

Is own-brand first infant formula 'the same recipe' as Aptamil or Cow & Gate?
Official pages talk about the same legal composition standards, not an identical factory recipe. Which? (April 2023) described the core ingredients as identical under the regulations. Taste and extra marketing claims can still differ. The NHS line is that any first infant formula sold in the UK meets nutritional needs, regardless of price.
Can I mix branded powder and own-brand in the same bottle?
The NHS pages on using formula tell you to follow one tin's scoop and the NHS making-up steps. They do not describe blending two brands in one feed. If you are changing tin, finish the old feeds or make the next feed from the new tin with its own scoop.
Does Healthy Start change which brand I should buy?
Healthy Start, where you qualify, can be spent on infant formula among other listed foods. Weekly amounts for 2026–27 sit on the NHS Healthy Start scheme-rules page (from 6 April 2026: £4.65 in pregnancy and for ages 1–4, £9.30 under 1). The scheme does not name a required brand.
Are supermarket own-brand tins allowed to look like follow-on?
Infant and follow-on labels must be distinct under the current rules. The CMA and the government response still flag lookalike labelling as a concern. Read the stage and age band on the front and back, especially on a busy shelf.

Sources

Official pages first. If this page and the official page disagree, the official page wins.

This is information, not a guarantee of any payment, and not medical, legal or product-safety advice for your home. Prices and rules change; figures carry the date they were checked. Recall status comes from official records only — a product we cannot find is not a safety all-clear. Tell us if we got a fact wrong.