To politely suggest to the Nursery that they shouldn't be using Nestle products?

[zimm]

DD's otherwise excellent nursery serves some nestle branded cereals. This doesn't sit well with me as I don't think a place that cares for children should support Nestle. I imagine it just hasn't crossed their minds but it does bug me that her fess are used to buy products from Nestle. WIBU to take in some baby milk action stuff and make a suggestion they switch products? Yes I know they are are bigger things to worry about but I do believe if a nestle boycott is worth doing, then it is worth doing right.

you can comment on it, just dont expect them to take any notice, as its your view not theirs and you have a choice - take care of your child yourself

I would pass comment. Round here no toddler groups etc use Nestle, the health visitors etc are all anti Nestle too. I can't understand knowing what they are accused of and not being anti them to be honest.

Going by the response on here I wouldn't expect anything but apathy or derision though.

What ScreamingBohemian said.

Boycotting anything or anybody has no moral value unless it is the free and voluntary act of individuals - or households at the highest - undertaken without pressure from governments, local councils, neighbours, work colleagues, unions, or even customers.

As for HVs: they are public servants, are they not? They have no damned business basing their recommendations on anything except the quality of the product.

Well, give it a shot then. I would write a very polite letter to the director though, rather than approaching staff directly, which could make them uncomfortable.

Nestle is the biggest food company in the world. It takes in more than $100 billion a year, which makes it bigger than many countries. I don't think the boycott, on an individual level, is accomplishing anything. I think only governments can hold MNCs to account (as they are starting to do with conflict minerals) and so organised advocacy is the way to go. So I don't think it's fair to say people who don't boycott are just ignorant. They may share your outrage but support different tactics.

Infant death is very political. It is justified all the time as collateral towards other ends. As a single human being it is shocking and unacceptable but you can't say it's not political.

'I think the Nestle boycott is very widespread for a reason'

is it very widespread? Have you been into a shop or a supermarket recently?Plenty of Nestle products on sale.there must be a demand.

YANBU to make them aware of the campaign against Nestle
YABU to expect them to take up your stance/opinion

Babies die in poor 3rd world countries regardless of the Nestle campaigns ....

Complaining about things which directly affect your DC (or yourself) is different from compalining about something which does not. You may think its an important issue, but it does not directly affect the welfare of the children at the nursery.

Up to you if you choose to do it, but it simply is not the same about complaining about them feeding her turkey twizzlers or losing her shoes.

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Infant death may not be political, but a boycott is a political tool.

There are many ways to respond to infant death. You could respond to infant death in the developing world by donating to charities that work in the field to help people. In fact, that would be a much more positive message to take to the nursery.

Perhaps start by asking that your daughter is given no Nestle products?

I don´t think you can decide for everyone-surely it´s up to them re their child as much as it is to you re yours?

Perhaps speak to ther mums to see if they know/care?

I would let them know, I can't see the problem.

I work in a nursery and would have no issue if a parent mentioned this to me - I'd have no problem bringing it up in the next staff meeting or whatever (I don't boycott Nestle myself but my DP does).

I'm a bit suprised they buy branded cereals at all though! We just have Tesco own brand wheat bisks/rice snaps/cornflakes.

You could, in fact, do something about infant malnutrition right here in the UK, by organising a nursery food drive for the week of the 31st, and donating it to a local homeless shelter or women's aid or what have you.

Our nursery has cereals in the plastic tubs so you don't know what brand they are - I bet they're tesco value or something!! Now I'm not a fan of Tesco value cereals, but if that's what they serve then I can't exactly go in and start telling them to spend more on kelloggs, they'd think I was a cow. Take note.

"That's the thing - I don't see it as a personal belief really - I think most people who are made aware of Nestle's actions in the developing world and care
about children would err on the side of boycotting them." You're wrong. Most people don't boycott nestle - just look at the supermarket shelves and see how many nestle products there are. They are one of the biggest food companies in the world - clearly the boycott has achieved nothing other than on a personal level.

I don't boycott them. In fact I've only ever come across people on mn that do - I don't know a single person in rl who boycotts them.

Personally if I worked in a setting such as a nursery and a customer came in demanding that we stop serving certain foods because of a political agenda I would think she was a bit of a fruitloop.

If the nursery is serving foods that are to the detriment of your child then it is your business. Serving food that clashes with your moral and/or political beliefs is not your business, regardless of how much you're paying. The customer is not always right.

I don't know about formula Andrew as we've never discussed it, I mean they don't have Nestle products at clinics etc etc.

Thanks for the range of views guys - off out now but will check back later - I honestly thought more ppl would agree with me - so it is interesting that they don't - I may post over in breast and bottlefeeding to see if I get a different response!

Shall we all boycott everything Chinese in light of the recent news coverage of the little Chinese girl??

So, we are boycotting pink stuff, girls bikinis, uggs,operation Christmas child, nestle...... What else?

I don't boycott Nestlé. I think yabu. If my child eats Nestlé cereal innit bothered, so long as its eating! Fairly healthy to! You are not the only person with childrenin the nusery.

Well NinkyNonker why not? If it's for any reason except a genuine view that Nestle products stocked at the clinis will be harmful to the child to whom the clients might give them - that is an abuse of ther position.

(Incidentally and off-topic: your screen-name had me flummoxed until last week when I sent to see my little great-nephew where CBBC was on and all was revealed!)

I bet if you asked a broad selection of people on the high street, the percentage who know about the nestle boycott would be tiny. The percentage who care or think it makes a difference would be even less.

Agree with WannaBe, I have only ever heard of the boycott here, never ever in RL.

'I may post over in breast and bottlefeeding to see if I get a different response!'

[hhmm]

Don't boycott girls' bikinis! What are you supposed to do while potty-training?!