Campaign to end Bounty sales reps' access to maternity wards - please read and share

[JustineMumsnet]

Evening all,

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to fill in our survey on Bounty and share your stories - from the initial idea onwards, this really is a campaign that has been prompted by your concerns, as posted on Mumsnet.

The survey showed that a very large majority (82%) felt it was unacceptable for Bounty sales reps to be on hospital wards, as well as highlighting a number of other concerns about Bounty reps' selling practices, so we're calling on government to end this kind of direct selling/data collecting on NHS wards. See more here.

It's clear, from the survey results, that, even after Bounty updated its code of conduct (these results only include users who gave birth from May 2012 - the full results containing prior data are here) its practices leave a lot to be desired, and that Mumsnet users feel very strongly that the maternity ward is no place for a hard sell, so we're really hoping that government will listen to us.

Here's how you can help...

Please sign the petition

If you're on Twitter please tweet your support for the campaign with the hashtag #bountymutiny and the following link:

tiny.mn/1bsnpNw

If you're on Facebook then please like campaign page our campaign page (there's a FB link to click at the top on the left).

If you're on Google+, well, you'll know what to do.

We'll, of course, keep you posted here about the campaign and any developments. Thanks to everyone for their stories, honesty and input. Here's hoping we can make a difference!

[wickeddevil]

Thanks Justine
Really pleased to see this - and will be supporting the campaign

[choppychopster]

Excellent. Will share on FB now.

[StateofConfusion]

really pleased to see this it was mners who supported me when a rep really upset me when dc3 was born end of 2012, nearly 6months later her behaviour is still ruining my memory of dd2 arrival.

[StateofConfusion]

what's the fb page called the link isn't working for me.

[Raaraathenoisybaby]

Can't do the twitter link....

[AtYourCervix]

How much trouble am i going to be in when i print off all of that and put it in strategic places at work? and when has that ever stopped me?

[courgetteDOTcom]

I've just written an article about this for the magazine I edit. glad to see MNHQ on this!

I've also had a debate with the other editors that MN has everything Bounty does and is more ethical. the rest (ctb forms and photography) are not unique this bounty!

[AtYourCervix]

The problem is the £2.3 million. The NHS is not going to want to lose that.

[MadonnaKebab]

2.3 million sounds a lot, but compared to the NHS budget of over a hundred billion it really is quite insignificant, and not worth compromising patient privacy over

[LoveBeingUpAt4InTheMorning]

The fact is if it was handled better it could continue. There is no reason for new mums to be harassed in their beds hours after giving birth. They could have daily sessions in the day room for those who want to take part to go along and join.

But just as big a problem is the attitude of the reps. I've heard positive stories (well one) of a mum of twins where the rep came in everyday and gave her two bags and my own of not believing I didn't have an email address to give.

[AmandinePoulain]

I may be the lone voice here but my experience of the Bounty rep was actually positive - she approached me firstly in antenatal clinic, and then on the postnatal ward. She asked if I wanted a pack, I initially said no because I didn't want to give my details (after being bombarded with useless stuff after dd1 was born), and she said that I didn't have to and just handed me a pack each time. I threw away all the bumf and kept the freebies .

I wasn't offered Bounty photographs, a local studio came round the postnatal ward offering those, but they were offering vouchers to use at a later date in their studio, not offering to take photos on the ward which is a better approach I think.

[Tee2072]

The Facebook page link doesn't go to FB, it goes to MN page.

[HelenMumsnet]

@Tee2072

The Facebook page link doesn't go to FB, it goes to MN page.

Yes : we'll sort in just a tick. Thanks!

[Vicslamb81]

I'm so pleased you're doing this mumsnet! The bounty rep I encountered was intrusive and patronising. I'd had an emergency c-section and was desperately focused on getting my baby to latch on to breastfeed. When I told her we weren't interested in photos she gave me a really filthy look and flounced off! Get rid of these reps from maternity wards - marketing tactics at their worst.

[DeepRedBetty]

Oops... dtd1 has just Liked the FB page. Her own silly fault for leaving herself logged in last night!

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Right, liked, petition signed, petition and MN links shared with my friends, my BFPS group, another BF group I'm part of, and a few other parenting groups!
Now what...?

[Elquota]

Very pleased to see this campaign. Thank you MN!

[Christineawalker]

thank you-at last the practice of taking personal details from new and still fragile, mothers the day after giving birth-is under the spotlight!!
This happened to me over 20 years ago after giving birth to my 2nd.child in homerton hospital hackney.a woman came round giving free samples,I declined, saying that I knew it would only lead to masses of junk mail advertising baby products, as that had happened after my first child.she expressed total amazement saying I was the first person she had ever come across to refuse free goods! as I lay there exhausted she then managed to give me the free goods AND get my name and address off me! I had a year of junk mail. I have always been upset about this and I sincerely hope that your campaigne to stop this practice is successful. It is intrusive and immoral.

[Vickirose]

When I refused to let them take my daughter's photograph the woman was completely shocked - I don't think anyone had ever said no to her before.
She was very pushy and rude and eventually, just because I was completely exhausted following my C-section and just wanted her to go away, I agreed to fill in her form - but I would not have normally done so and I afterwards I felt like I'd been bullied into it.
The maternity ward is not the place for the hard sell, a woman who has just given birth is extremely vulnerable and Bounty are exploiting that. I strongly agree with this campaign.

[courgetteDOTcom]

even if they're nice about it, it's STILL wrong!

would you think it was ok that they were nice about out if your grandparent was having a broken hip fixed and a rep came in out of visiting hours whilst they weren't decent and offered them a bag full of things from equity release ads to samples of Horlicks?

[willyoulistentome]

I totally agree with this campaign.

I had never heard of Bounty - not havng been a Mum before. After my first birth I was shocked, in pain, tearful, traumatised, and frankly all over the fucking place. I was in no position to deal with a sales person. I didn;t fully grasp that that was what they were. I had the impression that they were somehow somebody 'official' - like the nurse coming to check the baby's hearing,and all the other medical types that pass through. I was made to feel I would be letting a precious chance of a photograph of my baby slip thorugh my fingers, as they change so quickly, even hourly at this stage.

It's just WRONG.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

Looking at the situation afresh, if you were going to create the best possible place for a new mother and baby to be would it include random visits from a stranger collecting personal details for commercial profit and giving out a very paltry bag of free samples of baby products, leaflets and vouchers ?
No, it wouldn't !
Most of the time visits from Bounty are a mild irritation and slight disappointment (you look at your free gift and discover there's little useful in it) You feel slightly patronised whilst reading Emma's diary but possibly have little else to read.
Occasionally Bounty really mess up and ask a mother where her baby is when baby is in SCBU, and other similar cases of insensitivity.
Hospitals agree to this for the sake of a few quid per patient because they are so incredibly stretched for resources they can't afford to give the new mother one nappy for her newborn themselves !
Madness !
Just one small part of the failure to put women's needs first during the birth and post-natal period, and indicative of the dire state of resources in post-natal care.

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Mine was nice, but its not about the hard sell. As I said on the other thread (in the news) random people should not be on a ward. Other mothers relatives made me feel uncomfortable enough when my fanjo was bleeding ridiculous amounts and I couldnt walk!