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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be shocked at

156 replies

MrSpoc · 14/02/2011 12:48

Just found out that large retail chaines, i.e Tesco, boots do not give you reward points if you buy formula milk.

Apprarantly its because they think it is un ethical? and want to promote Breast is best

OP posts:
OhForBoonessSake · 14/02/2011 13:16

why do you keep asking teh same question though if you have read them? you know you will just get the same answers again. asking again will not change the answer you know.

KaraStarbuckThrace · 14/02/2011 13:17

I suspect you are right, Boon. Ah well won't waste my time any further plus I really should get to work

TrillianAstra · 14/02/2011 13:17

If you have read the replies why are you not responding to them rather than just repeating your original point?

Oh yes, because you are wrong.

The supermarkets are not penalising anyone (and please read how the word is written). They are making no ethical judgement. They are simply obeying the law.

LessNarkyPuffin · 14/02/2011 13:18

If you don't agree you should write a long letter to the supermarket. A very long letter. You could start now...

eden263 · 14/02/2011 13:18

To penalise means to inflict a penalty or punishment. Do you really perceive that you are being punished or given a penalty by not being given a few Clubcard points if you buy formula in Tesco? It's hardly the end of the world. What about people who shop at ASDA or Morrisons? They don't even do loyalty points - are they penalising their customers as well? In fact, Morrisons do loyalty points on their petrol only, so are they penalising all their customers who can't drive?

How can you be penalised by not being given something that is only offered out of goodwill in the first place?

Original poster
MrSpoc · 14/02/2011 13:18

OhForBoonessSake - for your information i understand the reasons it is illegal. i just do not agree with it.

My wife tried to breast feed as we were both adamant that Breast is Best but unfortuntly we had to use formula. For a long while my wife felt guily because of this. Now buying formula and notting getting the points feels like a smack in the face and the goverment saying "your bad and should be BF"

Why is this hard to understand.

OP posts:
LadyintheRadiator · 14/02/2011 13:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OhForBoonessSake · 14/02/2011 13:21

"Now buying formula and notting getting the points feels like a smack in the face and the goverment saying "your bad and should be BF""

well your wife is obviously holding a lot of personal guilt which she shouldn't be holding and is reading far too much into this. you are projecting here. nothing to do with teh law 'smacking people in the face'. this is your own issue here.

ScramVonChubby · 14/02/2011 13:26

I couldn't feed ds1; when I say couldn't, his life depended on it- his weight ahd dropped to 4lbs and it tuned out he ahd a protein digestion issue.

So obviously he ended up being FF. DS4 otoh was bf; still is, but it as very ahrd work indeed.

And I suspect had there been times I could have amde an excuse- oh look points for a year of formula would buy you a ticket to a theme parks boys, what do you think?- I may well have given in. And that's as a fairly well educated Mum: UNICEF course behind me etc.

Formula feeding should be neither penalised nor incentivised. It's wonderful and sometimes life saving as an option, but most babies are better off being breast fed.

StealthPolarBear · 14/02/2011 13:35

But you understand between a penalty and an incentive??
On another note, I am really sorry your wife struggled to bf, and that she feels guilty. That is awful, and I hope she is coming to terms with it. It's easy for me to say- don't feel guilty you did your best - but hard for her to believe.

Dropdeadfred · 14/02/2011 13:36

how many ponts would you get if the product was legally allowed to be incentivised?? less than a £1 per week i'nm sure...jeez what's the big problem? penilising you would be ifthe govt decided tha ff's should pay more tax!!!
By the way I did both methods of feeding and still agree that formula should not be advertised

LadyintheRadiator · 14/02/2011 13:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hephaestus · 14/02/2011 13:41

I worked at Boots for a time and was twice shrieked at (swearing, hysterics, the works) because the women didn't realise that you couldn't get points on formula.

It is illegal to promote formula in any way (points, discounts, offers). It is not the decision of the shop or of the individual staff member, who frankly couldn't give a fuck what you feed your baby as long as you don't swear and cry at us about it.

Many of these kinds of stores have parenting clubs or schemes which you can benefit from - are they penalising the child free? Hmm I don't even need to start on child benefit etc. to point out the flaws in this argument.

AnnMarlow · 14/02/2011 13:44

Do you get points on postage stamps? Have this feeling you don't. And while I understand not giving them for formula or cigarettes I don't see why you can't get them for stamps.

This is what Tesco say

What are non-qualifying products?
Unfortunately you cannot earn points on all products due to various legal, regulatory or contractual reasons. The products that points cannot be earned on are: tobacco or tobacco related products, lottery, stamps, prescription medicines, infant formulae milk, Tesco Gift Cards, saving stamps, Esso fuel, in store concessions, Paypoint payments or for purchases of some Tesco Bank products. Other products may also be excluded from the scheme at the discretion of Tesco.

LadyintheRadiator · 14/02/2011 13:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AnnMarlow · 14/02/2011 13:48

That does make sense. Is one of those things I muse on occasionally in moments of extreme boredom.

DirtyMartini · 14/02/2011 13:52

I don't get why anyone in any situation thinks they are entitled to points Confused. Points are an extra.

choppitychop · 14/02/2011 14:12

Mr Spoc I totally agree with you.

I think the majority of people on this thread are being a bit high and mighty about this.

I too get annoyed about this. (Yes, everybody, I understand it's the law but I think it shouldn't be). I also get pissed off that I work for a large company that sells baby milk and I don't get my staff discount on it.

Clubcard points do not provide an incentive for someone to buy any individual product (unless they gave you an extra 100 points with each tub of milk, which I can see would be different). The points are an incentive to spend money at their shop rather than somewhere else.

I feel it's incredibly patronising (whoever has made up the rule) that an organisation should say I shouldn't be allowed to have loyalty points or staff discount on formula basically because "it'll only encourage me"!

You would have to be totally stupid to decide to formula feed and spend shit loads of money on it just to get 1p per pound back in clubcard points.

And Scram, if you are fairly well educated, surely you would realise that it would be much more cost effective to just buy theme park tickets rather than save up points by buying formula you didn't otherwise want to use???

And to all those comments about "scanning your norks" to get clubcard points for your breastmilk, well yes, I think you should be able to .... if you had to pay Tesco each time your baby drank some milk out of them!

pooka · 14/02/2011 14:25

It isn't that it will only encourage you. That isn't the only reason.

It's partly that there shouldn't be added incentives attached to formula buying i.e. BOGOF, 3 for 2, club card/bonus points, reduced prices and so on.

It's that it should be entirely transparent at all times what the financial cost of formula buying will be. Fair enough, this applies more to the legislation regarding special offers/discounts. But it is important when someone is making a choice regarding what brand of formula they want to buy, that they are able to take into account the long term price, and also not be swayed towards different formulas depending on which is on offer.

Like it or not, providing bonus points that can be redeemed for money off future bills falls under the provisions of the legislation, and rightly so IMO.

OhForBoonessSake · 14/02/2011 14:34

"I think the majority of people on this thread are being a bit high and mighty about this."

what exactly do you mean by this? Confused

Original poster
MrSpoc · 14/02/2011 14:40

thanks choppitychop i knew i was not completly insane and i am glad someone else can see how rediculas this rule is.

To me it is around about way of saying, BF is best so you should do this, if you dont, shame on you.

OP posts:
OhForBoonessSake · 14/02/2011 14:42

spoc you have a really inflated ego if you think the lack of points on baby formula is in anyway saying "shame on you" for not BFing. don't be so ridiculous.

caughtinanet · 14/02/2011 14:46

I have only Morrisons near me and they don't give Tesco points - that's not fair as I'm being penalised for where I live.

Original poster
MrSpoc · 14/02/2011 14:48

your being penalised because you shop at Morrisons not where you live.

OhForBoonessSake what has this to do with my ego?

OP posts:
VanityRocks · 14/02/2011 14:49

Sorry MrSpoc but I'm more Shockat your spelling more than anything...

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