Muscat: Sale of baby milk powder and food by online stories without permission poses risk to infants, warned the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP) after these products went viral in social media.
MoCIIP has issued a notice stating several online stores and promoters are selling baby milk formula and baby food under the age of 3 years, which is a violation of the Regulation for Organising Marketing and Promotion Activities on Social Media issued under Ministerial Resolution No. 2022/619.
The ministry said sale and marketing of infant food requires approval of the Ministry of Health (MoH).
MoCIIP stressed the need to adhere to the regulations on online marketing and promotion. The ministry added that it will take the necessary legal measures against anyone who violates these regulations.
Consumers should not rush to buy from unreliable sites, and make sure of the credibility of online stores before making any purchase. Consumers should read reviews and opinions of buyers. It is also advisable to make sure that the products circulating are compliant with the standards and specifications approved in Oman.
The Ministry of Health has been extolling the virtues of breast milk and the nutrition it imparts to the infant for a while. In 2020 it released
Oman Specifications Standard (OSS) guidelines for regulating the marketing of formula products for infants and young children.
According to regulations, baby food should use raw materials that conform to the OSS. The production, packing and trading of the products in this context must also be done according to the terms and requirements of OSS.
The sellers must not endorse any kind of medical, therapeutic or preventive aspect of the products before getting MoH approval.
No pictures of infants or mothers or any other pictures or phrases that praise the use of the classified product shall be used, nor are food flavourings allowed to be used in infant food up to the age of six months.
The use of sweeteners are also banned. Use of words or phrases about the product that imply similarity to breast milk is also prohibited.
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