Exploring women’s exposure to marketing of commercial formula products: a qualitative marketing study from two sites in South Africa

Figures & data

Table 1. Profile of participants.

	Pregnant women (N = 7)	Mothers of infants 0–5 months (N = 5)	Mothers of children 6–18 months (N = 8)	Total (N = 20)
Study site
Cape Town (N = 10)	3	3	4	10
Johannesburg (N = 10)	4	2	4	10
IYCF practice
Exclusive Breastfeeding	N/A	3	1	4
Breastfed then changed to Formula	N/A	1	5	6
Formula fed from birth	N/A	1	2	3
Race/ethnicity
Black African	4	4	4	12
Mixed race	1	0	2	3
Indian	1	1	0	2
White/Caucasian	1	0	2	3

Figure 1. Example of cross-promotion between products intended for infants and young children of various age ranges shared by two Cape Town-based participants (Pregnant woman, MD-C8; Mother of an 18-month-old, MD-C2).

Figure 2. Price reductions and shelf wobblers drawing attention to infant, follow-up, and growing-up formulae at a pharmacy in Cape Town (Mother of an 18-month-old child, MD-C2).

Figure 3. Examples of how loyalty points can be used to purchase infant formula online (Mother of a 4-month-old infant, Johannesburg, MD-J2).

Figure 4. Examples of a Facebook page sharing information and content on formula feeding (Mother of an 8-month-old infant, Cape Town, MD-C3; Mother of a 15-month-old child, Johannesburg, MD-J1).

Figure 5. Example of flyers shared on an international Facebook group that enable mothers in the USA to access free samples of infant formula (Pregnant woman, Cape Town, MD-C7).

Figure 6. The mother of an 18-month-old child in Cape Town (MD-C2) shared an example of an in-store display of a product for children over 36 months.

Figure 7. Facebook post of a product indicated for children over 36 months being advised for use under 36 months (Pregnant woman, Cape Town, MD-C6).

Figure 8. Facebook advertisements for a product for children over 36 months (Pregnant woman, Cape Town, MD-C8).

Data availability statement

Data is available on request.