Cheapest Baby Formula in the UK: Where to Buy It Legally (2026)

Baby formula pricing in the UK is unlike any other grocery category. Stage-1 infant formula cannot legally be discounted, promoted, or paid for with loyalty points under the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007. That doesn't mean prices are identical everywhere — it means you have to know where to look.

What the law actually says

For infants 0–6 months (stage 1), retailers cannot: run a price promotion, accept loyalty card points as payment, give away free samples, or advertise the product in a way that encourages purchase. They CAN compete on the everyday shelf price — and that's where the differences are.

Follow-on formula (stage 2, 6+ months) is NOT subject to most of these restrictions and can be promoted normally. This is where supermarkets and retailers do most of their visible discounting.

Current cheapest shelf prices for stage 1 (800g tubs, June 2026)

We checked the same eight popular formulas across Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Boots, Superdrug and Amazon UK.

Aptamil First — Asda £14.50, Tesco £15.00, Boots £15.00, Sainsbury's £15.00, Amazon £14.99. Asda wins by 50p.

SMA Pro First — Asda £12.75, Tesco £13.00, Morrisons £13.00, Boots £13.50. Asda wins.

Cow & Gate First — almost identical at £11.50–£11.95 everywhere. No meaningful gap.

Kendamil Classic First — Boots £15.99, Sainsbury's £16.00, Amazon £15.50, Tesco £16.00. Amazon wins, but stock is sporadic.

Hipp Organic Combiotic 1 — Holland & Barrett £16.99, Boots £17.49, Sainsbury's £17.00. Holland & Barrett wins.

Stage 2 (follow-on) is where to use loyalty points

Once you switch to stage 2, all the supermarket loyalty schemes apply: Clubcard, Nectar, More Card, Asda Rewards. Aptamil Stage 2 was on Clubcard at £11.50 (vs £13.00 standard) in our last check, and Lidl Plus offered a £3 coupon stack on SMA Pro 2.

What we'd never recommend

Buying formula off Facebook Marketplace or eBay. The Food Standards Agency has issued repeated warnings about counterfeit and out-of-date formula being resold. The £2 saving is not worth the risk.

Practical tips

• Subscribe & Save on Amazon UK for follow-on formula gets you 5–15% off and is one of the few "discounts" the rules permit on stage 2.
• Sign up to brand mailing lists (Aptaclub, SMA Baby Club) for one-off vouchers redeemable on stage 2+.
• Boots Parenting Club gives 10x Advantage Card points on follow-on formula and baby food — meaningful if you buy a lot.
• Set a price alert on stage 2 formula at your usual retailer — we see legitimate ~15% dips every 6–8 weeks.

Bottom line

For stage 1, Asda is consistently a few pence cheaper than the Big Four rivals on the major brands. For stage 2, loyalty schemes make a real difference — pick one scheme and stick with it. The total cost of feeding a baby formula for the first year is roughly £700–£1200; small per-tub differences add up to £80+ over the year.