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Infant feeding

NOT permitted to use Boots points for milk

171 replies

kirk33 · 07/09/2010 13:28

I am currently extremely upset with Boots the chemist.
I am a working mother and my husband stays at home to look after our 5 month old son.
My husband has just been told at Boots that we can NOT use our Boots points to buy the formula milk we feed our son !.
Apparently its company policy as they do not want to be seen to be promoting non breast feeding !!!!!!!!
This policy applies to all the formula even milk designed for older babys.
This policy is not advertised or displayed in store anywhere. As a customer who regularly spends a fortune in Boots the points seemed like a nice bonus, saving up for a rainy day !, i feel very aggrieved that i cannot use them against things we need. They advertise that they are parent and baby friendly but this seems very anti parent to me.
What if my husband were a lone parent ?. He would not be able to breast feed anyway.
My husband and I will no longer be shopping at Boots for any products and He will be informing the other parents in his coffee group about this situation.
Does anyone else feel we should be able to use the points on products we need ?

OP posts:
prettybird · 07/09/2010 13:32

There are plenty of other "baby" related necessities that you could spend your points on.

DuelingFanjo · 07/09/2010 13:33
GetOrfMoiLand · 07/09/2010 13:34

It's against the law, you loon, you can't use promotional points or vouchers in any shop in the land for formula.

Why do you care so much? just spend the points on nappies or Kalms tablets.

GetOrfMoiLand · 07/09/2010 13:35

"He will be informing the other parents in his coffee group about this situation."

lol you twat Grin

GetOrfMoiLand · 07/09/2010 13:35

Apols for the insults but i don't think this person is real.

StealthPolarBear · 07/09/2010 13:35

I've seen signs on the shelves saying that points can't be redeemed on infant formula, tobacco, lotttery etc

VirginOnTheRidiculous · 07/09/2010 13:36

It's not Boots. It's the law.

No shop will advertise, reduce the price of or allow you to redeem points when purchasing formula.

It will be the same wherever you go.

BooBooGlass · 07/09/2010 13:36

Get over it. It's the law.If he were a lone parent he'd get milk vouchers. You don't, so can clearly afford the formula.

purpleturtle · 07/09/2010 13:36

Products that you can spend points on (most of them) are denoted in store by a blue * aren't they? Baby milk isn't in that category.

BooBooGlass · 07/09/2010 13:37

at Kalms tablets. Indeed.

muggglewump · 07/09/2010 13:38

Spend them on some other baby essential then. I don't get the big deal.
When DD was small I bought all of her baby stuff in Boots (except milk, I got that free as I was on a low income) and got myself a fabby new hairdrier with the points I saved.

It's not Boots, it's the law.

BikeRunSki · 07/09/2010 13:40

You can't earn points on formula either. Like everyone said, it is the law. It is certainly against the law to promote formula feeding in anyway to babies under 6 months, and discourages for babies over 6 months.

I formula fed, I dealt with it. I spent my points on ELC toys instead.

DuelingFanjo · 07/09/2010 13:40

I agree with GetOrfMoiLand

good effort but no cigar!

toucancancan · 07/09/2010 13:44

Hang on I defo bought the last two boxes of powdered milk with my points. It must depend which Boots you go into.

BornToFolk · 07/09/2010 13:48

Was it follow on milk toucancan? That's probably exempt from the points thing as it can be advertised and promoted whereas first milk can't.

GetOrfMoiLand · 07/09/2010 13:54

I would like to be a fly on the wall at the SMA viral marketing campaign meeting.

Rookie marketing goon: 'ooh I will try to start a thread on mumsnet, get a good debate going'

Veterans: 'yes, good luck with that, Nikki'

AmazingBouncingFerret · 07/09/2010 13:58

I bought several cartons of infant formula ready mix via my points once. Definitely not the follow on milk because she was only about 6 months old at the time. Confused

I buy the follow on milk now though purposely to get boots points for christmas presents. Mother and Baby club you get 10 points for each pound you spend so my points are very quickly going up!!

Grin

MumNWLondon · 07/09/2010 14:02

You can spent the points on nappies.

Its illegal to sell formula on promotions or for points. So same in tesco/ sainsburys / asda etc.

wondering whether this is a troll.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 07/09/2010 14:08

Everything I was going to say has been said already, but I think it's worth re-iterating that you're an idiot.

Grin

MumNWL - yes very probably. This same thread crops up every few months.

weegiemum · 07/09/2010 14:10

Getorf - loving your viral marketing campaign meeting!

Lulumaam · 07/09/2010 14:12

getorf, you're my new girl crush ! hilaaaaaaaaaarious!


you can spend points on nappies, wipes, nappy cream , toiletries, cotton wool, ear buds, shampoo, talc, hairbrushes, nail clippers and any other things for your baby

except formula

it's not boots, it's every pharmacy in the country, cos it's the law innit?

weegiemum · 07/09/2010 14:18

Don't you think its a shame that Boots don't sell wine?

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tabouleh · 07/09/2010 14:19

In this country advertising and promotion of infant formula is prohibited.

The UK follow the World Health Organisation guidelines on this.

Loyalty points are a form of promotion - therefore they cannot be used for infant formula.

This is also the case for medicines.

Follow on formula was created as a product in the country so that formula companies could advertise that instead.

It has been shown that countries which permit any type of formula advertising have lower BFing rates - this is because the advertising leads to a FFing culture.

I feel that this was a contributory factor to the lack of support for me and DS when BFing was so difficult to establish and was a reason for the "why don't you just put him on the bottle" comments from family members.

kirk33 I do hope you come back to the thread but I somehow don't think you will. I assume you are looking to provoke some sort of "what's wrong with FFing adverts" ruck?

GetOrfMoiLand · 07/09/2010 14:21

Grin lulumama

Follow on milk is such a pile of shit. Just give them cows milk at that age, from a cow. Or not.

Imagine the SMA viral campaign would have wprked a bit better on Netmums.

'ohmygod yes i toturly agree wiv u its not fair is it boots are itches'

Lulumaam · 07/09/2010 14:24

s'alright, i'll admire you from afar. i won't try to snog you or owt. Wink

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