Cow & Gate vs SMA:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Cow & Gate had more branded searches than SMA among baby formula brands in the United Kingdom. Cow & Gate had about 13,200 branded searches, while SMA had 4,800. Cow & Gate made up 13.6% of all baby formula brand searches we track, and SMA accounted for 4.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about baby formula brands, SMA appeared in two of the three answers and Cow & Gate in one.
Who do people search for more?
Cow & Gate, about 3 searches for every 1 for SMA
Who does AI mention more?
SMA, mentioned in 2 of 3 answers, Cow & Gate in 1
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Top baby formula brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, SMA was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Cow & Gate was mentioned in one out of three: in one of the three ChatGPT answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Aptamil3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Kendamil2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers- SMA2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Cow & Gate1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
HiPP0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about baby formula brands
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best first infant milk in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which baby formula is best for colic?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Is expensive baby formula better than supermarket formula?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“baby formula”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 27, 2026.
Is Cow & Gate or SMA more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Cow & Gate and SMA by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all five baby formula brands we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Cow & Gate, SMA. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Kendamil | Aptamil | Cow & Gate | SMA | HiPP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 44.6% | 29.4% | 16.7% | 7.7% | 1.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 44.8% | 29.5% | 16.8% | 7.8% | 1.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.7% | 28.8% | 16.4% | 7% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 37.2% | 28% | 16% | 17.9% | 0.95% |
| Feb 2026 | 44.5% | 24.2% | 25.8% | 4% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 53.2% | 24.1% | 17.3% | 3.8% | 1.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 61.4% | 20.5% | 12.9% | 3.6% | 1.6% |
| May 2026 | 58.2% | 23.9% | 12.3% | 4.2% | 1.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 57.6% | 23.6% | 13.5% | 4.2% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 56.9% | 24.9% | 11.6% | 5.3% | 1.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 55.7% | 23.6% | 14.4% | 5.2% | 1.1% |
| Sep 2026 | 57% | 23.2% | 13.6% | 4.9% | 1.3% |
How has the Cow & Gate and SMA comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: SMA took it in January 2026, Cow & Gate took it in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Cow & Gate’s share of searches among baby formula brands in the United Kingdom moved from 16.7% to 13.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14.7K to 13.2K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, SMA’s share of searches among baby formula brands in the United Kingdom moved from 7.7% to 4.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.8K to 4.8K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom baby formula brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Cow & Gate lost share of searches among baby formula brands in the United Kingdom, from 14.4% to 13.6%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for SMA in the United Kingdom fell 29.4% over 12 measured months, from 6.8K to 4.8K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cow & Gate’s and SMA’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Cow & Gate
2 branded search terms
- cow and gate
- cow and gate formula
SMA
2 branded search terms
- sma formula
- sma milk
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