AIBU to want free delivery on formula

[Tangoandcreditcards]

I'm ffing my 2 month-old. (From birth, I've had a double mastectomy) I've been stewing about this for a month.

I ordered a load of formula to be delivered to my local Boots (5 doors down, as opposed to "the high street" which is further away, it's a tiny Boots, so doesn't stock the formula I'm using in the quantity I need (hence the order).

If you spend over £20 online for store delivery online you get free delivery. So I ordered a little over £20 worth. When the transaction went through I got charged for delivery. I contacted them for a delivery refund and was told that because it was formula, they legally can't have any offers on it, and I would have to be charged (£3.95!).

I do appreciate why it's illegal advertise/promote formula for newborns, and why breastfeeding is encouraged by HCPs because I do actually understand that some women might want/need some encouragement and education to choose BFing.

However... BFing is free, FFing is not, and NO-ONE is going to switch to formula because they can get free blooming delivery on it (or loyalty points, for that matter). I feel cheated. Maybe I am just being precious about 4 quid because I'm overly sensitive about the subject. I'll obviously just get off my bum and go somewhere else to get it, but I'm enraged at the fact that I have to, it just seems like legislation taken a bit too far to me! Who can I complain to? Is it poor interpretation of the law or just that the rules don't make sense? AIBU to think that economic sanctions (!!) on FFing parents are unfair?

That does seem faintly ridiculous. Are those Boot's rules or general rules for all retailers?

That's odd, I always got my formula from Boots but used to buy £50 at a time to get the free home delivery. This was only last year. I never got points till I switched to follow on at six months, but the free delivery was always there.
Does it work for home delivery?

It's fucking shite, as is the points thing.

No doubt there'll be plenty of people around shortly to tell you it's perfectly reasonable and you should be breastfeeding, despite your circumstances. I remember starting one about the clubcard points on formula when my baby was little and I had to walk away from the thread in the end.

Buy it from elsewhere.

Can you get it from a supermarket or is it special formula? If so can you get it as part of an ordinary online shop?

Yanbu op. Ridiculous! Can you try elsewhere?

I think the law is that baby formula (up to 6 months) cannot be included in any price promotions.

This has been interpreted by the retailers (presumably) to mean no loyalty points, or free delivery. (No other retailer lets you get or spend loyalty points on formula, either.)

I suppose the logic is that people aren't tempted by promotions to switch to formula, but that doesn't even make sense to me.

panzee I haven't tried that! but when they emailed me regarding my query on the delivery charges they quoted Ts and Cs from their website that formula and prescription meds were excluded, and the delivery charges were added on automatically so it may be that they've updated their website or their Ts and Cs.

Yep, it's the way they have interpreted the law. It's shit but I do

Sorry, I do understand why they are so strict as the Formula companies have proved themselves to be sneaky bastards in the past (and now in countries with less regulations).

Thanks jengnr and berniesburneze yes - I can just go to the big shops for it, it's not special or anything. I'm just a bit cross about being charged at all.

I'll watch out for the thread taking a turn for the fighty, jengnr I've developed a pretty thick skin having to justify my 'decision' to my midwife at every turn...

Can you order some gift sets to the value if £20 then return them?

Paq I do completely understand on the promotion/advertising and why they are strict on that. But restricting price promotions (especially to this extreme) just doesn't make sense, it's surely NEVER an economic decision to FF?

Yanbu it's a really daft rule! I wonder if breast pumps, nipple cream, breastfeeding supplements do count, if so that's very unfair.

Congratulations on the birth of yiur baby

Op, like you I have had a double mastectomy and felt extremely vilified by the attitude to formula, like no points and no advertising or offers.

I was shouted down on here about being a "minority" which I found weird as I though discrimination was wrong these days.

I think it's a it stupid of anyone to think that a few boots points or free delivery would make anyone choose formula over Brest feeding if they wanted to.

Ridiculous.

Sorry breast not Brest.

I had breast fed four of mine pre mastectomy and had no idea about bottles and formula so It would have been useful for me to see advertising to peruse the different options.

Even the feeding advisor in hospital couldn't give me advise as she wasn't allowed to.

Absolutely ridiculous - they're interpreting the (ridiculous and patronising law) to suit themselves.

I was referred to the breast feeding counsellor even though I had none

I think it's a "computer says no" thing - Boots will have a database list somewhere called "ExcludedPromotionItems" which will have things like gift cards on it and it will be universally referenced for loyalty points, 20% offs etc etc. I don't think that free delivery is a promotion if it's purely spend related, but it's just been set up that way.

Are there £20 worth of nappies and wipes you could order next time you need formula, to get round the charges?

Surely the free delivery is to encourage people to use that store, and spend £££ rather than buy a specific product?!

What happens if you set up a fake online shop with a supermaket? Does formula count towards the min spend there? Or is there not a min spend for online delivery?

Goodness miaow -that sounds like a nightmare with the special stuff!

I think it might be because the order was just formula, but agree thar it's just "a bit much" (especially as Boots are potentially making £4 a pop off my "failure")

It is unfair and tbh I doubt very whether anyone's gone 3for2 on formula? Be silly to breastfeed at those prices.
There is too much of a blanket formula is evil campaign though in your situation op I think you should be able to get in on prescription As it is a necessity that's come about through illness.

I really don't think pricing, offers etc have any tangible impact on the bf/ff decision anyway. Honestly, of all the mothers I know, cost never really came into play when deciding how to feed baby.

I understand trying to stop sneaky tactics of formula companies, but surely nobody would ever base their decision about ff v bf on free bloody delivery.

How daft!

Yanbu. I can understand why they can't advertise or have special offers (although I can't help but query if that would actually impact on people's choice to bf or more impact upon which formula ff parents pick) but free delivery is going too far

I am curious as to how/why your midwife has expected you to do anything but ff? What does she expect you to do, get a wet nurse?!

Ledkr - you may be a minority, but you are not alone! I tried not to expect "special treatment" but having to tell every HCP why I had chosen FFing even though it was right there in my notes next to where it said FFing got v tedious.

I also totally concur that a total lack of impartial (or even biased) information about bottles and formula is a pain.

It's going to increase too tango we have the dreaded gene so my own dds will have to be tested and possibly make difficult decisions one day! I hate to think of them being treated like drug dealers on top of all that