HiPP UK vs HiPP German Ready-to-Feed: Every Stage Compared
Parents often ask how HiPP UK and HiPP German ready-to-feed formulas differ, and which German bottle matches the UK stage their baby drinks now. Both ranges are organic and made by HiPP in Germany, but the stages are named differently. We compared the official labels line by line, and the answer surprises most parents: the matching stages share the same recipe.
The quick answer
- HiPP UK ready-to-feed comes in three stages: 1 (from birth), 2 (from 6 months) and 3 (from 12 months).
- HiPP German ready-to-feed comes as PRE and 1 (both from birth) and 2 (after 6 months).
- Closest matches: UK 1 = German PRE (or German 1). UK 2 = German 2. For toddlers on UK 3, German 2 can continue past the first birthday.
- Same recipe: HiPP UK 1 and HiPP German PRE list the same ingredients and the same nutrition values. HiPP UK 2 and HiPP German 2 do too. The real differences are the label language, the stage names and the bottle sizes.
Which German stage matches your UK stage?
| Your baby drinks | UK label age | Closest German ready-to-feed | German label age | Why it matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiPP UK 1 First Infant Milk | From birth | HiPP PRE Combiotik | From birth | Same ingredients and same nutrition values on the label |
| HiPP UK 1 First Infant Milk | From birth | HiPP 1 Combiotik | From birth | Same ingredients; a touch more iron and a few minerals |
| HiPP UK 2 Follow On Milk | From 6 months | HiPP 2 Combiotik | After 6 months | Same ingredients and same nutrition values on the label |
| HiPP UK 3 Growing Up Milk | From 12 months | HiPP 2 Combiotik | After 6 months, no upper age on the label | Germany has no stage 3 ready-to-feed; stage 2 continues into the toddler years |
Stage 1: HiPP UK 1 vs HiPP German PRE and 1
All three are organic, whey-based first infant milks for use from birth, made in Germany by HiPP. All three use lactose as the only carbohydrate, with no starch, and get their DHA from algae oil.
Ingredients: HiPP UK 1 and HiPP German PRE list the same ingredients in almost exactly the same order: organic whey product, organic skimmed milk, organic cream, organic lactose, organic sunflower and rapeseed oils, organic whey powder, GOS fiber from organic lactose, lecithin, then the same vitamins, minerals, algae oil (DHA) and Mortierella alpina oil (ARA). German 1 uses the same list as well.
Full nutrition comparison, per 100 ml
| Per 100 ml | UK 1 | German PRE | German 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 66 kcal | 66 kcal | 67 kcal |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 3.6 g | 3.6 g |
| – saturates | 1.6 g | 1.6 g | 1.6 g |
| – monounsaturates | 1.5 g | 1.5 g | 1.5 g |
| – polyunsaturates | 0.5 g | 0.5 g | 0.5 g |
| ARA (omega-6) | 13.2 mg | 13.2 mg | 13.4 mg |
| DHA (omega-3, from algae oil) | 13.2 mg | 13.2 mg | 13.4 mg |
| Carbohydrate (all lactose) | 7.0 g | 7.0 g | 7.1 g |
| Starch | None | None | None |
| Inositol | 5.8 mg | 5.8 mg | 5.8 mg |
| GOS fiber | 0.3 g | 0.3 g | 0.3 g |
| Protein | 1.3 g | 1.3 g | 1.3 g |
| L-carnitine | 1.2 mg | 1.2 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Sodium | 20 mg | 20 mg | 20 mg |
| Potassium | 66 mg | 66 mg | 67 mg |
| Chloride | 51 mg | 51 mg | 52 mg |
| Calcium | 51 mg | 51 mg | 52 mg |
| Phosphorus | 30 mg | 30 mg | 30 mg |
| Magnesium | 6.0 mg | 6.0 mg | 6.2 mg |
| Iron | 0.50 mg | 0.50 mg | 0.60 mg |
| Zinc | 0.50 mg | 0.50 mg | 0.50 mg |
| Copper | 0.053 mg | 0.053 mg | 0.054 mg |
| Manganese | 0.0060 mg | 0.0060 mg | 0.0050 mg |
| Selenium | 3.8 µg | 3.8 µg | 3.9 µg |
| Iodine | 15 µg | 15 µg | 15 µg |
| Vitamin A | 54 µg | 54 µg | 55 µg |
| Vitamin D | 1.5 µg | 1.5 µg | 1.5 µg |
| Vitamin E | 0.70 mg | 0.70 mg | 0.70 mg |
| Vitamin K | 5.1 µg | 5.1 µg | 5.2 µg |
| Vitamin C | 8.9 mg | 8.9 mg | 8.9 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.050 mg | 0.050 mg | 0.050 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.20 mg | 0.20 mg | 0.20 mg |
| Niacin | 0.34 mg | 0.34 mg | 0.34 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.029 mg | 0.029 mg | 0.029 mg |
| Folate* | 16.6 µg | 10 µg | 10 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.10 µg | 0.10 µg | 0.10 µg |
| Biotin | 1.5 µg | 1.5 µg | 1.5 µg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.34 mg | 0.34 mg | 0.34 mg |
| Choline | 26 mg | 26 mg | 26 mg |
| Taurine | 3.3 mg | 3.3 mg | 3.4 mg |
*All three use the same folate source (calcium-L-methylfolate, sold as Metafolin). The UK label states the amount as "folate" and the German labels as "Folsäure" (folic acid), so the figures are written differently. HiPP UK's own stage 2 label uses the same 10 µg figure as the German one.
What actually differs between HiPP UK 1 and HiPP German PRE?
- Label language: English vs German.
- Stage name: "1 First Infant Milk" in the UK vs "PRE Anfangsmilch" in Germany.
- Bottle sizes: UK 1 comes in 90 ml, 200 ml and 470 ml bottles; German PRE in 90 ml and 200 ml.
That's it. On paper, the recipe inside the bottle is the same.
German PRE vs German 1: what's the difference?
Both are first infant milks you can use from birth, as the only food or alongside breastfeeding. In powder form, HiPP German 1 adds a little starch to make it thicker. The ready-to-feed bottles are different:
- No starch in either bottle. The HiPP German 1 ready-to-feed label lists no starch and carries a "nur Lactose enthalten" (lactose only) seal, just like PRE.
- Same ingredients. Both labels list the same ingredients. The feeding tables are identical too.
- Tiny nutrition differences. German 1 has slightly more iron (0.60 mg vs 0.50 mg per 100 ml), 1 kcal more, and a hair more of a few minerals and vitamins, as the table above shows.
In ready-to-feed form, German PRE and German 1 are almost interchangeable, and both are a close match for HiPP UK 1. If you buy powder, note that HiPP German 1 powder does contain starch, while PRE powder does not.
Stage 2: HiPP UK 2 vs HiPP German 2
Both are organic follow-on milks for babies over 6 months, given alongside solid foods, in 200 ml ready-to-feed bottles. Neither contains starch, and both get their DHA from algae oil.
Ingredients: both labels list the same 37 ingredients in the same order, starting with organic whey product, organic skimmed milk, water, organic cream, organic lactose, organic sunflower and rapeseed oils, and GOS fiber from organic lactose.
Full nutrition comparison, per 100 ml
| Per 100 ml | UK 2 | German 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 68 kcal | 68 kcal |
| Fat | 3.7 g | 3.7 g |
| – saturates | 1.4 g | 1.4 g |
| – monounsaturates | 1.8 g | 1.8 g |
| – polyunsaturates | 0.5 g | 0.5 g |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6) | 0.42 g | 0.42 g |
| Alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) | 0.06 g | 0.06 g |
| DHA (omega-3, from algae oil) | 13.6 mg | 13.6 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 7.2 g | 7.2 g |
| – of which lactose | 7.0 g | 7.0 g |
| Starch | None | None |
| GOS fiber | 0.5 g | 0.5 g |
| Protein | 1.3 g | 1.3 g |
| Sodium | 20 mg | 20 mg |
| Potassium | 84 mg | 84 mg |
| Chloride | 52 mg | 52 mg |
| Calcium | 70 mg | 70 mg |
| Phosphorus | 40 mg | 40 mg |
| Magnesium | 6.3 mg | 6.3 mg |
| Iron | 1.0 mg | 1.0 mg |
| Zinc | 0.50 mg | 0.50 mg |
| Copper | 0.054 mg | 0.054 mg |
| Manganese | 0.0070 mg | 0.0070 mg |
| Selenium | 3.9 µg | 3.9 µg |
| Iodine | 15 µg | 15 µg |
| Vitamin A | 56 µg | 56 µg |
| Vitamin D | 1.6 µg | 1.6 µg |
| Vitamin E | 0.80 mg | 0.80 mg |
| Vitamin K | 3.1 µg | 3.1 µg |
| Vitamin C | 10 mg | 10 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.040 mg | 0.040 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.14 mg | 0.14 mg |
| Niacin | 0.53 mg | 0.53 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.040 mg | 0.040 mg |
| Folic acid | 10 µg | 10 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.10 µg | 0.10 µg |
| Biotin | 1.6 µg | 1.6 µg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.35 mg | 0.35 mg |
Every value matches. The only differences are the label language and the stage name ("2 Follow On Milk" vs "2 Folgemilch").
- More iron than stage 1. Babies need more iron in the second half of the first year, and both stage 2 bottles have twice the iron of HiPP's stage 1 milks (1.0 mg vs 0.50 mg per 100 ml).
- Not for young babies. Neither should be used as a breastmilk substitute before 6 months.
Stage 3 and toddlers: HiPP UK 3 vs HiPP German 2
HiPP UK 3 Growing Up Milk is made for toddlers from 12 months, as an alternative to cow's milk. HiPP UK suggests about 350 ml a day as part of a varied diet.
HiPP Germany makes a stage 3 (from 10 months) and a toddler milk (from 1 year), but only as powder, not in ready-to-feed bottles. The German stage 2 label gives a starting age (after 6 months) and no upper age limit. HiPP's German feeding advisers also say follow-on milk 2 can carry on into the toddler years. That makes HiPP German 2 ready-to-feed a convenient option for toddlers too, from the first birthday onward. Ask your pediatrician how much milk your toddler needs each day.
Reading the German label
| German word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Anfangsmilch | First infant milk (PRE or 1) |
| Folgemilch | Follow-on milk (stage 2) |
| trinkfertig | Ready-to-feed |
| von Geburt an | From birth |
| nach dem 6. Monat | After the 6th month |
| Zutaten | Ingredients |
| Flaschenmahlzeiten pro Tag | Bottles per day |
Don't mix it up with HiPP German PRE HA
HiPP also makes a German PRE HA ready-to-feed with partially hydrolysed (broken-down) milk protein. It is a different product. If your baby drinks regular HiPP UK 1, the closest match is regular PRE Combiotik, not the HA version. HA formulas are also not a treatment for a diagnosed cow's milk protein allergy.
How to switch smoothly
- Talk to your pediatrician first, especially if your baby was born early or has a medical condition.
- Pick the matching stage from the table above. Because the recipes match, many parents switch straight over; others mix in one or two German bottles a day for a few days.
- Watch for small changes in stools or gas for a few days. Call your doctor about vomiting, rash, refusal to feed or anything that worries you.
- Never water down ready-to-feed formula, and discard any milk left in the bottle after a feed.
Frequently asked questions
Is HiPP German the same as HiPP UK?
For the matching stages, the labels say yes. HiPP UK 1 and HiPP German PRE list the same ingredients and nutrition values, and so do HiPP UK 2 and HiPP German 2. What differs is the label language, the stage names and the bottle sizes.
My baby drinks HiPP UK 1. Which German stage should I buy?
HiPP German PRE is the exact match. HiPP German 1 ready-to-feed is nearly identical, with slightly more iron.
What's the difference between HiPP PRE and HiPP 1?
Both are suitable from birth. In ready-to-feed bottles they are nearly identical: both are lactose-only with no starch, and German 1 has slightly more iron and 1 kcal more per 100 ml. HiPP 1 powder is different, because it adds a little starch.
Which German stage matches HiPP UK 2?
HiPP German 2. Both labels list the same ingredients and the same nutrition values.
Is there a HiPP German stage 3 ready-to-feed?
No. Toddlers can use HiPP German 2 ready-to-feed instead, since its label has no upper age limit.
Can toddlers drink HiPP German stage 2?
Yes. It is made for babies after 6 months, and HiPP's feeding advisers say it can continue into the toddler years as part of a varied diet.
Can I warm HiPP ready-to-feed?
Yes, it can be served at room temperature or warmed. Never use a microwave, and always test the temperature on your wrist.
Shop HiPP German ready-to-feed
Find all three German ready-to-feed stages at HolleHiPPos:
- HiPP German PRE Ready-to-Feed (from birth)
- HiPP German Stage 1 Ready-to-Feed (from birth)
- HiPP German Stage 2 Ready-to-Feed (from 6 months)
Nutrition values are taken from HiPP's official labels and product information and may change; always check the label on the bottle. Breastfeeding is best for babies. Infant formula should be used on the advice of a doctor or other healthcare professional. Follow-on milk is not suitable as a breastmilk substitute before 6 months. This article is for general information and is not medical advice.
