No free parking for just formula

[SquawkFish]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3929020/Demonised-buying-baby-milk-Tesco-bans-mother-s-car-park-discount-bought-formula-milk-s-EU-rules.html

Just a bit shocked by this despite thinking I was quite pro breastfeeding. Would be interested to hear others views, particularly as the baby is being formula fed due to medical reasons.

Lots of supermarkets refund parking with a minimum purchase of £10, not just a purchase, which she may not have had the time/ money/ energy/ inclination to spend on top of her purchase. I suppose this goes the other way in that if she had known she would have gone to a different supermarket that provides free parking whatever you buy.

It would be interesting to see if you spent the minimum purchase for free parking on fags would they refund your parking or not.

I now understand why the law exists, although I didn't before DD was born. I think the way it is applied is a clumsy and blunt way of achieving its aims.

It made me feel a bit rubbish when I switched to FF. As if someone out there thought I'd chosen to switch because I was prioritising loyalty points over my baby Especially when you can still get points on alcohol and junk food.

The "no free parking" interpretation seems like an over extension to me. At best over cautious and at worst like a way for the store to make more money. I'm no lawyer though.

Having said that, slightly ridiculous that this is in a national paper (although I suppose it is the DM so not that surprising) and it has nothing to do with the EU.

Just to add that I have been boycotting Nestle products for over half my life now.

They raised the stakes when they brought out chunky kit kats but after a few lapses I carried on.

I now live in a city with a Nestle factory. Some days the entire city smells of gorgeous chunky kit kats. Those are very hard days.

The issues were the same here and in the USA, originally. That's what I mean about living in 2016. We forget that our grandparents were sold formula as "Better Than Breast" and may not have had the money, the wherewithal to provide sterile conditions to make it... not many people had fridges, no microwaves etc.

There is a really good reason that there are so many reports about Nestle, proper scientific ones as well as reporter led, with names like The Baby Killer!

It's a stupid law which massively discriminates against woman who can't breast feed. I moved both DC on to 6month milk at three months coz I couldn't afford the first milk. 6 month milk always has promotions on it so is often much much cheaper. I don't like DM, but I think this does need to be highlighted as an issue, you feel like crap when you can't breast feed, but then to be constantly 'punished' for it is soul destroying

sextrainglue yeah, because a woman being charged for parking when buying formula in the UK is definitely going to have an impact on breastfeeding rates in rural Africa

I wholeheartedly agree with the standard no points or promotions thing. But this parking thing seems odd, it isn't a promotion, it is free parking for a certain spend. All they would be doing is refunding what she has already paid, not making the formula cheaper.

Why is the law stupid Littlefuckers? And not the companies who make massive profits on the product? They could sell it you much cheaper within the law. Why don't they?

Formula milk also saves lives.

I BF DD for 22 months, I'm pro breastfeeding, I'm pro breastfeeding support, I'm also pro combi and formula feeding for any reason including just because the Mother wants to. I've always sort of accepted the 'no rewards from FF' thing as a good idea, but actually having thought about it properly those who FF or combi feed through medical reason or choice are already financially penalised from having to buy the formula (unless they get it on perscription - but from what I have heard from friends getting the right formula on perscription can be really hard). So really, why shouldn't you be able to receive standard store benefits like free parking and clubcard points. I would argue that formual specific rewards - EG £50 free voucher when you buy would be considered formula promotion and not be allowed. But free parking like this shouldn't really be a concern. I guess it is like a PP said (sorry forgotten who) it's how Boots have chosen to interpret the law here.

In a total aside to this story (ie I am categorically not saying this Mum didn't have a medical reason why she was unable to breastfeed) it does seem that in the UK especially we have high levels of 'I was not able to BF' when what people actually mean is - I didn't get on with it/I didn't like it/It didn't suit us as a family/I didn't want to. The problem is two fold - Never ever should a woman feel ashamed of her choice not to breastfeed, and secondly the side-effect of this tendency to say 'I couldn't' is that people who really want to try to continue BF and who are maybe struggling believe being unable to BF is more common than it actually is. They may not seek the support they really want which would be a shame.

littlefuckers you need to read the background, the links that have been put up.

The law does no such thing!

And Nestle are still arguing about the law and 'follow on' milk. The current situation is not a given!

29redshoes you too may have missed the point!

wistender the parking thing is odd, but I am not sure of the refund mechanism... so it could be seen either way, I suppose!

You don't get Boots points on formula either. I'm going to call the DM.

Also it goes to show how much the supermarkets have us over a barrel with their promotions - all of us good corporate citizens doing endless legwork to find out where the best multi-buys are, who has free parking this week, what are the deals, where the P&C spaces are...everyone talking about their loyalty points like they are human rights rather than something to get you to spend more.

They could just sell the stuff cheaper of course.

They could just sell the stuff cheaper of course

Ye gods, how rude... go find some soap and wash out that sensible mouth of yours

I can't believe how expensive formula is these days and why are all the tins shrinking at the same time?! The manufacturers could choose to sell it at a permanently lower price but that might get in the way of their massive profits!

I don't think they were right to charge for the parking as it wasn't a discount off the formula but a waiving of an extra charge. I still don't think there should be discounts or offers on infant formula though

It's quite right. We need to remember that formula companies are not our friends.

"sextrainglue yeah, because a woman being charged for parking when buying formula in the UK is definitely going to have an impact on breastfeeding rates in rural Africa hmm"

I think you've missed the point.

A global ban on promotion does appear to have made a difference. And that it is global is part of the reason why it's successful.

It's a 'all together" measure, rather than a 'do as I say, not do as I do'.

So yes, no promotions = no promotions

Blanche it is discrimination, the product can not be promoted eg two for one offers, because the gov. Has said so, to me that is punishing woman who can not or chose not to breastfeed. It also makes it easier for companies to keep the price artificially high. So they are still winning.

we need to remember formula companies are not our freind without formular milk my children would have died.

Have you seen the adverts they were putting up in India and Pakistan?

Massive billboards of very light skinned mothers with their almost white babies looming over slums with no clean water.

Babies died because of this sort of marketing. I know it seems very far removed from Boots in Pontefract or Tesco in Fulham and I sympathise with FF who feel annoyed.

But its the bigger picture and we need to protect those women and children who are far more vulnerable than we are.

I have FF btw and I don't judge others who do for whatever reason.

This in important issue and I think we have to look a bit further than our doorsteps.

little so formula companies made you pay a lot of money for something that your children would have died without?

Not very friendly of them.

ourblanche ummmm how have I missed the point?

I already said I know the background to how and why this law exists, but I get a bit fed up of this "thin end of the wedge" interpretation. Especially when the wedge has become so thin it is basically invisible.

If we really want to follow the thin end of the edge logic then let's ban loyalty points for everyone unless their entire weekly shop consists only of healthy nutritious foods, with perhaps a government approved "allowance" of sugar/alcohol. And let's not allow supermarkets to refund parking at all because everyone should be walking, shouldn't they? After all, it's just the thin end of the wedge to obesity/diabetes/climate change/whatever.

I think everyone is aware of the law regarding points and promotions, so no need for DM sad faces. But the parking thing seems like an over- interpretation of the law. It is free parking for Tesco customers, simply because Tesco don't want non-customers using their car park free of charge. There are plenty Tescos where you can buy formula and not have to pay for parking!

namechangee have I said they are nice? I have stated a fact, I could not physically feed my children. They would have died without formular, well I suppose I could have tried just cows milk, and maybe some soggy bread? Or maybe should have advertised for a whet nurse? Or perhaps I shouldn't have been allowed to breed?

I think you're talking about a different wedge, 29redshoes

This isn't about suboptimal diets in the developed world. It's about real babies really dying unnecessarily and the global community uniting to tackle at least one aspect together. And decisions by the UN (not hypothetical ones they may never make, as there doesn't seem to be any serious negotiations towards that)

It's actually not about us at all, other than in the sense of whether we want to be in it together. Or whether the rich should not be part of it.