I was thinking about this more and I think that in many ways lack of factual information about formula feeding (not advertising necessarily) actually works to the benefit of some formula companies.

With no real information on what to look for in a formula or how to pick it, or even what is available, parents have to pick by looking on the shelves. I think that price plays a huge part in this. Parents who want the best for their kids would assume that the more expensive formulas are better and so would choose to buy based on price only. It's a whole mentality about getting something quality because we are paying for it.

Advertising would not stop this from happening but I think a lack of general information and it being the only viable alternative to BFing means that formula companies can mark their product sky high and parents will buy it assuming that high price means that best product for their babies.

Feel free to disagree, because I am interested in what other's think but I picked formula based on price. To me the cheaper ones didn't seem 'as good as' the more expensive ones and it didn't even occur to me at the time, that the shelf price is probably designed that way. I have heard cosmetics companies say that they give their products high price tags if they want to be valued in the market because people think it is cheap and nasty if they aren't paying top dollar - though cosmestics cost nothing to make. I think formula companies are the same.

Just a thought anyway