Breast Milk Substitutes Market – By Substitute Type, By Formula Type, By Distribution Channel – Global Forecast, 2025 to 2034

Breast Milk Substitutes Market Size

The global breast milk substitutes market size was valued at around USD 87.4 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at 9.9% CAGR from 2025 to 2034. Breast milk substitutes (BMS) are any products created to replace breast milk, particularly infant formula. BMS products are usually made from cow's milk, soy, or other plant-based proteins. It is used when an infant needs extra nutrition or when breastfeeding is inadequate or not achievable. These products are regularly fortified with important nutrients to replicate the nutritional makeup of breast milk.
 

ISeveral factors are contributing to the growing demand for BMS. Many women struggle to breastfeed due to medical, stress-related, or previous breast surgery issues. Moreover, technological improvements and BMS launches are bound to increase market growth. For instance, 108LABS launched a new animal-free formula in March 2021. It was crafted specifically for newborns and neutralized antibodies released by humans. Such milestones are bound to enhance market growth. Thus, the BMS market is anticipated to expand in the forecast period.
 

Moreover, a direct consequence of globalization and urbanization is the emergence and surge of nuclear families, which tend to erode the traditional family support system of breastfeeding such as the one we have already discussed, where other family members are present. This loss of support can make BMS quite attractive to modern mothers not able to exclusively breastfeed. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that while breastfeeding is always better for the baby, only 44% of infants under the age of 6 months are exclusively breastfed around the world. These statistics clearly show several barriers most women face when trying to continue exclusive breastfeeding, and thus make the BMS products more tempting, especially for urban dwellers.
 

Breast Milk Substitutes Market Trends

•  There is an increasing trend of working mothers that is compelling industries to produce more breast milk substitutes (BMS). For instance, the International Labor Organization estimates that approximately 47% of the global workforce were women in 2022.
   
•  Moreover, because of the lack of time due to work and other obligations, many mothers are unable to breastfeed, hence BMS nourishes them. This phenomenon shows the enduring appetite of working mothers for practical feeding methods such as BMS.
   
•   In addition, improved revenue in developing economic regions, particularly the Asia Pacific, Latin America, and parts of Africa, has changed the methods of breast feeding from traditional practices to formula feeding. This change, driven by urbanization accompanied by increased income, has increased the sales of BMS products.
   
•  Also, the World Bank noted a relevant shift to urban centers, reporting the population in cities in lower and middle-income economies increased from 35 percent in 2000 to 52 percent in 2020. These trends of urbanization will serve to support further increase in BMS consumption across these new markets.
   

Breast Milk Substitutes Market Analysis

Based on substitute type, the market is segmented into milk-based formula, soy-based formula, hypoallergenic formula, and other substitute types. The milk-based formula segment dominated the market with the largest revenue share of 72.5% in 2024.
 

• Increasing health-related issues such as having insufficient milk, illnesses of the mother, and possible HIV infection from mothers have encouraged the use of milk-based formulas.
   
• Moreover, some mothers use milk-based formulas for infants for which they cannot breastfeed as the feeding poses no risk, which is expected to increase the growth of the segment.
   
• Furthermore, the evolution in the composition of milk-based formulas which includes the addition of essential components such as DHA, ARA, probiotics, and prebiotics has helped increase their appeal.
   
• Thus, the nutritional benefits of milk-based formulas, which aid in brain development, enhance immune function, and promote digestive health, can be said to be fortified with these enhancements and system benefits are also very close to the value of breast milk.
   

Based on formula type, the breast milk substitutes market is segmented into powdered, concentrated liquid, and ready-to-use. The powdered segment dominated the market with the largest revenue of USD 39.5 billion in 2024.
 

• Parents, especially those living in regions with poor access to fresh milk, or those travelling frequently find powdered infant formula light and easy to carry.
   
• Moreover, preparation is easy and adequate for parents that have busy lives and do not have the time to make a proper meal.
   
• Also, the expansion of organic and specialty powdered infant formulas driven by market growth is particularly relevant. These formulas consider the common ailments, such as lactose intolerance, allergies, and increased nutritional requirements of preterm babies.
   
• Additionally, parents are interested in spending on high quality products for their children, further fostering the market expansion.
   

Based on distribution channel, the breast milk substitutes market is segmented into pharmacies, retail stores, and other distribution channels. The retail stores segment dominated the market with the largest revenue of USD 40.5 billion in 2024.
 

• Retail stores are primary contact points for parents to purchase infant formulas for their babies.
   
• Baby products supermarkets and other baby specialty shops have an established distribution network to make it easier for parents. Urban fathers and mothers can easily find these outlets and, therefore, BMS products are more accessible.
   
• Also, retail pharmacies and drug stores, such as Walgreens, CVS, Boots, etc., have contributed to the distribution of BMS products. These stores usually have a separate section for baby care products.
   
• Thus, the distribution of BMS products becomes more effective and easier for the public due to their availability in all major urban centers and rural regions.
   

The U.S. breast milk substitutes market is projected to grow significantly, reaching USD 52.6 billion by 2034.
 

• A considerable number of U.S. mothers go back to work shortly after having a baby. From the report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 68.9% of mothers having kids below the age of 6 were in the labor force in the 2023 Census.
   
• Moreover, most working mothers usually find infant formula to be a more convenient option and substitute breast milk when they are separated from their babies.
   
• Thus, this need, as well as an increasing rate of maternal employment, distinctly raises the growing requirement of breast milk substitute products in the United States market.
   

The breast milk substitutes market in UK is expected to experience significant and promising growth from 2025 to 2034.
 

• Parenting campaigns, including those by the NHS and La Leche League in the UK, aim to increase the public's knowledge of the significance of breastfeeding. Such campaigns also recognize that breastfeeding is not something all mothers are able or willing to do.
   
• As a result, among parents in UK, there tends to be more knowledge about breast milk substitutes that are especially designed to replicate the nutrition profile of breast milk.
   

Japan breast milk substitutes market is anticipated to witness lucrative growth between 2025 – 2034.
 

• The food safety in Japan is quite strict, especially for infant products. There is a great need in the industry for high-quality baby milk substitutes (BMS) which can be safely used.
   
• Moreover, Japanese consumers generally favor their home brands Meiji, Snow Brand, Morinaga, or others because of their commitment toward quality, safety, and innovation in products. These companies have maintained their market position considerably by marketing the nutrition and genuineness of their formulas.
   

The breast milk substitutes market in Saudi Arabia is expected to experience significant and promising growth from 2025 to 2034.
 

• The high level of disposable income in Saudi Arabia, particularly in major cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, enables a large segment of the population to afford and have access to breast milk substitutes.
   
• Moreover, this economic power comes as a great advantage for many parents having children because premium and foreign infant formulas encourage families to shift from breastfeeding children.
   

Breast Milk Substitutes Market Share

The market is competitive, with presence of global, regional, and local players in the breast milk substitutes industry. A common trend is that all participants are keen on putting money into modern technologies for producing more efficient breast milk substitutes, for instance, docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid, prebiotics and probiotics, and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs).
 

Companies also need to form alliances with research institutes and healthcare providers to enable the application of these recent technologies into practice and extend their reach to more markets where the need for breast milk substitutes is increasing. With the help of better innovation and market entry processes, and lower approval processes, firms can gain a more solid foothold in the already expanding market.
 

Breast Milk Substitutes Industry News:

• In September 2024, Perrigo Company plc, announced a new brand partnership with Good Start and Dr. Brown's infant formula solutions. Good Start, a trusted infant formula brand for over 50 years, and Dr. Brown's, makers of the No. 1 pediatrician-recommended baby bottle in the U.S., shared a long-standing mission of creating confident feeding experiences for families. This partnership strengthened Perrigo's position in the infant nutrition market and enhanced its portfolio of trusted, high-quality products for parents.
   
• In July 2023, Bobbie, the only mom-founded and led infant formula company in the U.S., announced the acquisition of Nature’s One, an Ohio-based pediatric nutrition company. This industry-disrupting acquisition enabled Bobbie to reach its full growth potential while strengthening its domestic manufacturing capabilities.
   

Breast Milk Substitutes Market Companies

Some of the eminent market participants operating in the breast milk substitutes industry include:

• Abbott Laboratories
• Arla Foods
• Beingmate Baby & Child Food
• Danone
• Fonterra Co-operative Group
• FrieslandCampina
• Hero Group
• HiPP
• kendamil
• Mead Johnson
• Munchkin
• Nestlé
• Synutra International
• The Kraft Heinz Company
• Yili Group
   

USPs of Top Players:

• Nestlé is known for developing breast milk substitutes with a remarkably close composition to breast milk.
   
• Danone focuses on using more resources to create and market hypoallergenic and specialty formulas, based on the differing dietary needs of infants.
   
• Abbott provides breast milk substitutes with essential nutrients and with an excellent quality to support healthy infant growth and development.
   

The breast milk substitutes market research report includes an in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD Million from 2021 – 2034 for the following segments:

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Market, By Substitute Type

• Milk-based formula
• Soy-based formula
• Hypoallergenic formula
• Other substitute types

Market, By Formula Type

• Powdered
• Concentrated liquid
• Ready-to-use

Market, By Distribution Channel

• Pharmacies
• Retail stores
• Other distribution channels

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America 
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe 
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Spain
  • Italy
• Asia Pacific 
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • Australia
• Latin America 
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• Middle East and Africa 
  • South Africa
  • Saudi Arabia