"Formula milk is as good as breastmilk" - according to which study? There has never been a study that has shown that formula is as good as breastmilk. Actually the studies show that formula fed babies have many more health problems and cost the NHS millions of pounds a year. The real issue here is that where formula is given away for free more women will use formula and fewer women will breastfeed. That is a fact and that is why UNICEF launched the Baby Friendly Initiative, which stipulates that formula milk should not be given away for free unless medically indicated.