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The World Health Organisation (WHO) wants government action over escalating baby formula prices that are “exploiting” British families.

In an interview with Sky News, WHO called out the “profit-driven” multinational manufacturers for “manipulating the price” of their baby formulas.

The most recent research shows prices in the UK have risen 24% over the past two years, while the cheapest brand has jumped by 45% in that time.

WHO has urged governments to intervene on behalf of struggling families and find a way of reducing the prices in the shops.

In May, Sky News uncovered the desperate measures many parents are taking to feed their babies including stealing formula, buying on the black market, watering down bottles or substituting formula for condensed milk.

WHO technical officer, Laurence Grummer-Strawn, told Sky News: “It is shocking to be seeing a high income country like the UK facing these kinds of problems where mothers can’t afford to feed their babies.”

When asked if it amounted to exploitation, Mr Grummer-Strawn said: “Yes, I think we can say that when you see that these prices are being driven down to the consumers and having to pay extremely high prices.

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“They’re in a very vulnerable situation, that they have infants that have to be fed and there aren’t many alternatives out there for them and there aren’t really other companies they can turn to.

“You’re exploiting them to increase the profits of these companies, and they have huge profit margins.”

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Price of baby formula ‘real crisis’

Speaking about solutions, Mr Grummer-Strawn explained: “We really need government action to address either on the price end or in ways to help those families directly.”

“Lowering the prices can help these families, but it needs to be in a sustainable way,” he added.

“We have to have government action. To be setting up a situation where people are dependent on these baby banks and food banks to be providing this, that’s not a sustainable way for families to get what they need.”

Baby formula
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Baby formula prices have surged

Baby banks and food banks across the UK have reported a surge in families in need of help – often parents who are in work but are still struggling to afford formula milk and other essentials.

Last month Sky News reported on the rationing that many baby banks said they are now having to introduce because they don’t have enough donated formula to distribute to all those who need it.

Many of the charities have said they are worried the workload is unsustainable.

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Open baby formula sold on Facebook

WHO technical officer, Laurence Grummer-Strawn, speaks to Sky News' national correspondent, Tom Parmenter
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WHO technical officer, Laurence Grummer-Strawn, speaks to Sky News’ national correspondent, Tom Parmenter

Mr Grummer-Strawn added: “I think that what we’re seeing here is largely companies taking advantage of opportunities that other things are getting more expensive, so let’s make ours more expensive as well.

“Our concern is that they’re out to maximise their profits.

“And from a business perspective, and their shareholders, maybe that’s what their shareholders want. They want the highest profit.

“We’re certainly trying to find ways to reach out to investors and say, ‘you know, where’s the ethics in this?’, and try to get investors to think about investing in an ethical way and therefore either don’t invest it in these companies, or choose the companies that are making the most ethical decisions and tell them about the harms of the way that these products are being marketed, the way the prices are being manipulated.”

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Mr Grummer-Strawn added: “At the heart of this are families simply trying to keep their babies fed when, for whatever reason, their child relies on bottle feeding.

“We really want to make sure we’re not making mothers feel guilty. This is not their fault.”

The problem is, he added, “that the government hasn’t stepped up and supported them in ways that they need to”.

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While most of the main manufacturers did not respond directly when Sky News put WHO’s comments to them, they have all told us higher production costs are the reason for the price rises.

Danone, which makes the Aptamil and Cow & Gate brands, did respond to say it is facing “unprecedented increases in the cost of ingredients, manufacturing, storage and transport”.

A spokesperson said: “Where possible we have always tried to absorb as many of these cost increases as possible.”

Danone added that it does try to help parents but added: “Ultimately, individual retailers set the selling price in their stores for all products.”

Westminster officials have consistently told Sky News that the government is helping with the cost of living but did not respond to WHO’s concerns.

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Luis Piovesana: Family ‘devastated’ after body found in search for brother of judo Olympian

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Luis Piovesana: Family 'devastated' after body found in search for brother of judo Olympian

A judo Olympian has said her family is “devastated” after the discovery of body in the search for her missing brother.

Lubjana Piovesana, 28, appealed for help to find her younger sibling, Luis, 26, on Saturday. He had not been seen since the early hours of Friday morning.

A body was found in the River Frome near Napier Road in Eastville, Bristol, at around 6pm today, Avon and Somerset Police said.

Formal identification is yet to take place, the force added.

In a post on Instagram, Ms Piovesana wrote: “Hello everyone, Luis has been found.

“We are completely devastated but he has passed away.

“I am grateful for everyone’s support. And I am so sorry this happened.

“Luis was my little brother and loved by everyone. I wish he could have seen the love from everyone. He will be remembered by us all.”

The post was signed off with a dove emoji.

Pics: Avon & Somerset Police
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Luis Piovesana did not have any money or his mobile phone with him when he went missing, police said. Pics: Avon & Somerset Police

Mr Piovesana was last seen at around 3am on Friday at the Eastgate retail park, which is less than a 10-minute walk away from where the body was found.

He had travelled there by taxi from a venue in Little Ann Street, St Jude’s, a 10-minute drive away.

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The 26-year-old’s family spent the weekend searching for him, and asked people to check their sheds and gardens.

His partner, Laurin Bohler, said loved ones had travelled from Birmingham to help.

Mounted officers and police drones were also involved in the investigation.

Ms Piovesana competed for Team GB before switching to the Austrian team, and defeated British competitor Lucy Renshall in the women’s -63kg judo event at the Paris Olympics last year.

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Sophie Evans: Man jailed for life for murdering son’s girlfriend after school run

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Sophie Evans: Man jailed for life for murdering son's girlfriend after school run

A man has been jailed for life for murdering his son’s girlfriend after she returned home from the school run.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police were called to an address on Bigyn Road in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, on 5 July last year.

Sophie Evans, 30, had sustained 72 separate injuries on the outside of the body, “all but three of them new injuries”.

Richard Jones, who is now 50, believed he was “being taken advantage of financially” by Ms Evans and his son, with whom she was in a relationship.

While the purpose of Jones’s visit was “purely normal”, he confronted her on that morning about his suspicions and Ms Evans’s reaction was such that Jones “lost [his] temper”.

He subjected Ms Evans to “gross violence” before ultimately strangling her and leaving the property to run errands, including ordering a new bank card and buying pastries from a bakery.

Richard Jones. Pic: Dyfed-Powys Police
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Richard Jones. Pic: Dyfed-Powys Police

‘Last time on their school run’

During sentencing on Monday, the defendant kept his head bowed for most of the hearing.

He will have to serve at least 20 years behind bars before he can be considered for release by the parole board.

Swansea Crown Court heard Ms Evans was the mother of two young children.

Passing his sentence, Judge Geraint Walters said Ms Evans “had just taken her two children for the last time on their school run” prior to the attack.

“She wasn’t to know that when she parted company with them that morning,” he added.

The court heard the Jones believed he was being defrauded by Ms Evans and his son.

“There is clear evidence, that in the days leading up to this, that you had begun harbouring thoughts that Sophie Evans and your own son were in fact financially scamming you,” he said.

“What precisely brought about that view is difficult to determine.”

Judge Walters said Jones “lost [his] temper when [he] didn’t get the answer that [he] thought [he] deserved”.

He added that, having lost his temper, the defendant “subjected [Ms Evans] to gross violence over a period of time, before you ultimately extinguished her life by strangulation”.

The court was told in evidence that at the time of the attack, Ms Evans was wearing only a bath towel.

‘The rock of our family’

In a victim personal statement, Ms Evans’s sister Kerry Quinlan told the court she was “the rock of our family”.

She said Ms Evans was taken from them in a “senseless and cruel act”.

“Words cannot express fully how much of a loss this has been to her children,” she added.

“When they cry themselves to sleep wanting their mum, she isn’t there and never will be.”

Ms Quinlan added that Jones had “taken everything from us, all in the most despicable way possible”.

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Ms Evans’s partner at the time, and the defendant’s son, Jamie Davies, said in a victim personal statement, read on his behalf, that they had both “trusted” Jones, and that Ms Evans had even been planning the defendant’s 50th birthday.

“The thought of having to live my life without Sophie causes me extreme pain and heartache,” he added.

Prosecuting, Michael Jones KC said the offence was aggravated by the defendant’s previous convictions and the fact Ms Evans was murdered in her home.

In mitigation, David Elias KC said there was a “lack of premeditation”.

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Third man charged with murder over house fire in Bradford that killed mother and her three children

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Third man charged with murder over house fire in Bradford that killed mother and her three children

A third man has been charged with murder over a house fire that killed a mother and her three children in Bradford last year.

Bryonie Gawith, 29, Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle were killed in the fire on 21 August 2024.

Sharaz Ali, 39, from Bradford, has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

He will appear at Bradford Magistrates Court today.

Two other men, Mohammed Shabir, 44, and Calum Sunderland, 25, both of Keighley, are due to go on trial next week after pleading not guilty to murdering Ms Gawith and the three children, and attempting to murder Ms Gawith’s sister, Antonia.

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The children’s father Jonathan said at the time he was “absolutely distraught” by the “sudden loss” of his fiancee and “three beautiful children”.

“Bryonie and I were together for a long time, and we had a good life together. She was a beautiful woman and a loving mother to Oscar, Aubree and Denisty,” he said.

“I loved them with all my heart and if I had the chance, I would take their place in a heartbeat. I cannot imagine life without them.”

A family statement added: “Our B (Ms Gawith) was the life and soul of the party, music was a big part of her life, she loved music, singing and dancing, she would always be singing and dancing with Chuch (Denisty), Oggy (Oscar) and Strawberry (Aubree).

“B was always a really happy, joyful, bubbly beautiful woman, who cared for everyone and was loved by everyone, her kids were everything to her, her whole life.

“Oggy had the cheekiest smile, he was cheeky but he was a shy boy, Strawbs was shy and bashful with big blue eyes and blonde hair and Chuch was a beautiful, confident, outgoing and creative young girl.

“We are still trying to comprehend what has happened to our beautiful family. No words can describe how we are feeling and no words could ever make up for the profound loss we are now faced with.”

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