Marketing Strategies for the Promotion of Infant Formula in Pharmacies in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and Their Relationships to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes: An Exploratory Study

Introduction: Human breastfeeding is universally recommended for its benefits to infant health. In the city of Buenos Aires, 53% of infants under six months of age are not exclusively breastfed. The marketing of infant formula, through packaging, promotions, and persuasive messages, affects the continuation of breastfeeding. In Argentina, compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes is partial. Objective: To describe the marketing strategies used to promote infant formula in pharmacies in the city of Buenos Aires and their relationship to the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (ICMBS). Methodology: This was an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with nonprobabilistic sampling. The study included chain and independent pharmacies that displayed infant formula on store shelves distributed across the 15 districts of the City of Buenos Aires (CABA). Variables related to in-store placement, promotions, signage, and compliance with the ICMF were assessed using a structured checklist. Data were reported using frequency distributions. Results: A total of 30 pharmacies were included, one chain and one independent district. The majority (97.7%) offered starter formula (0–6 months) and follow-up formula 1 (6–12 months). The formulas were located most frequently in the side sections of the store (66.7%) and on eye-level shelves (40%), as well as near other breast milk substitutes (83.3%). Discount promotions were found in 76.7% (n=23) of the points of sale, with discounts using a card or app being the most common, in violation of Article 5 of the CICSLM. Conclusions: Marketing practices in pharmacies can constitute barriers to breastfeeding, affecting the mother‒child relationship. The persistence of noncompliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes () reinforces the need to strengthen regulatory frameworks, enforcement mechanisms, and social awareness initiatives