Journal · 4 min read
How to read a European formula tin
The words that matter on a Dutch, German or UK pack, and where to find them.
Most of the formulas we sell were made for a market in Europe, so the front of the tin is written for that market. The same four facts are on every pack, in the local language: who it is for, the stage, the milk and the age to start.
A Dutch tin, pinned
HiPP's Dutch stage 1 is printed in Dutch and French because it is sold in the Netherlands and Belgium. Here is where the four facts sit.
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2
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- Biologisch · Biologique “organic” in Dutch and French, as on a Netherlands and Belgium pack
- 1 the stage
- Zuigelingenmelk infant formula
- Vanaf de geboorte from birth
Words you will see on the pack
Each meaning below comes from the maker's own page; the link is the page we read.
| On the pack | Language | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Pre | German | A German-market name for infant formula used from birth; a stage 1 can also be used from birth. Pre does not mean formula for premature babies. Source |
| Anfangsmilch | German | Infant formula, used from birth. Source |
| Folgemilch | German | Follow-on formula: not before 6 months, as part of a mixed diet. Use the minimum age on the pack. Source |
| Kindermilch | German | Milk drink for young children; the minimum age differs by product (1+ or 2+), so check the pack. Source |
| Ziegenmilch | German | Goat's milk. It names the milk, not the age. Source |
| Zuigelingenmelk | Dutch | Infant formula, used from birth. Source |
| Opvolgmelk | Dutch | Follow-on formula: not before 6 months. Use the minimum age on the pack. Source |
| Peutermelk | Dutch | Toddler milk; the minimum age differs by product, so check the pack. Source |
| Geitenmelk | Dutch | Goat's milk. It names the milk, not the age. Source |
| First infant milk | UK English | Infant formula, used from birth. Source |
| Follow-on milk | UK English | Follow-on formula: not before 6 months, alongside other foods. Source |
| Growing-up milk, toddler milk | UK English | Milk drink for children over 12 months, not a replacement for infant formula; check the age on the pack. Source |
The same facts, in one order
On every Formuworld page the facts from the front of the pack are set down in one order, so two tins in two languages can be read side by side.
The front tells you who the formula is for. How to prepare it is on the back or side, and that part is the one to follow exactly: the scoop in the tin, the water amount in the feeding table, and the time limits. Each of our product pages gives an English summary, but it does not replace the label.

