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.

[ComputerUserNumptyTwit]

Since when did BPAS have a position on formula feeding?

[OurBlanche]

As I have no idea what the 'thin end of the wedge' argument is I have no answer to that ^29redshoes* I was responding to

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 faulty logic! But then again, so many people don't bother with the Nestle boycott for the same reason.

[Flingmoo]

I just think this is making a big fuss over nothing. It's quite an unusual case as usually people would be buying other things with their shopping too. It's just one of those weird quirks of the law.

Having said that, you'd think they'd just turn a blind eye but I suppose if it all has to go through a computer system the individual member of staff could be flagged up for breaking the rules.

Our local supermarket has just started to charge for parking if you stay for longer than 30 minutes and don't spend at least £3 in store. Cue our local Facebook groups going absolutely nuts about it! Some people just love to complain about petty things. Rather than making such a fuss and bringing it to the media I think I would have just gone back and picked up a couple of extra bits of shopping!

[OurBlanche]

SexTrainGlue thanks. That makes more sense. Sorry 29redshoes we seem to have been posting slightly at a tangent

[everybodysang]

LittleFuckers you are being obtuse. Read the background. Your kids didn't die, did they? You had access to formula and, essentially, clean water.

Take a look at the global picture and then see if you can still talk about discrimination. Or do those people in other parts of the world not matter?

[Crystal15]

Rediculous. No mother is going to spend £10 pw ish on formula for the sake of a few points. Rather then BF if she wanted to or could.

[TimetohittheroadJack]

While I agree it does seem as little bit crazy in the uk to think someone will not breastfeed just to get a few boots points, the rule is to protect vulnerable mothers worldwide.
Formula companies simply would provide people with a few vouchers at birth, just enough for your milk to dry up, after that, you are stuck buying formula perhaps without clean water or any way of sterilising bottles.
But imagine the rule was you can offer incentives in the U.K./USA/other 'rich' country but not to the poor Africans/insert other generally poor area of the world. There are rich people with adequate facilities in Africa, and people in the us/U.K. Who might not have the money or facilities for making formula.

Rather than create a system like that isn't it better to just have a blanket ban?

Formula costs ~£10, so even with Tesco you would get max 10p in points, which if you convert to days put tokens is 40p. Which say 26 weeks of formula, at one tub a week is just over £10 if you are converting points to days out vouchers -

£10 on days out vouchers or allow companies like nestle to exploit the poorest people in society?

[BratFarrarsPony]

OK I get it now. It makes sense.
I remember being a bit annoyed that the amount of formula I was buying at our local Boots couldnt be added to the points card. ...(ff twins)
Boots were a bit naughty though and also added nappies to their 'no points' list...

[Littlefuckers]

everybody why am I being obtuse? This thread started about formula not being included in offers and deals. I said I felt that was discrimination, because it is. It is saying that mothers who choose not to breast feed must pay full price. No discounts because you have boobs and you should produce milk. Of course I am talking about my own experience, I haven't entered into the argument about the developing world. I am merely pointing out that it's very expensive to formula feed. But some women don't have a choice. Please tell me why I am so wrong to be thankful that my children didn't starve to death?

[BratFarrarsPony]

no, littlefuckers it is not 'discrimination' it is the result of a legal ban on eg Nestle advertising formula milk. Therefore it cannot be part of any marketing offer or campaign.

[NotAnotherUserName1234]

I think tesco could have given her the free parking as a courtesy - presumably they make a profit from selling the formula.

[Camomila]

OurBlache I suppose part of the problem is that the nestle baby milk scandal started several decades ago now so people simply haven't heard about (fellow nestle boycotter, find few people have heard of the nestle boycot)

[Camomila]

Oops missed half my sentence, meant to say it started several decades ago and then became 'old news'

[Trifleorbust]

I was shocked by this but it's not Tesco's fault. I do think the interpretation of parking as a 'promotion' is over zealous!

[weavingawickerbasket]

Nice click bait OP dm intern

no it is not an EU rule it is the international code on formula advertising, get it? It's there to protect bf. formula companies spend so much money in global marketing it is important that BF is also prompted and protected from the adverting brainwash.

[weavingawickerbasket]

"Stupid fucking law, Boots won't give points for formula here either even though it's a mainland law, not a local one. buhu

It's not the law that is "Stupid fucking" but people who don't understand why these marketing codes are in place.

[usernamealreadytaken]

We no longer blame the upholding of stupid rules on "jobsworths"; everything is either the fault of the EU or Brexit (or, going forward, Trump perhaps!). All the poor lady had to do was buy something that was allowed - the regulations also exclude prescription medicines but she chooses to be inflammatory in comparing baby milk to "fags"; there is no mention of discrimination against the sick, which is surely more comparable?

[WinnieTheW0rm]

" I haven't entered into the argument about the developing world"

I think that's the nub of it.

You need to enter into precisely that debate because that is the reason for the UN action (in which EU subsequently ruled).

Trying to exclude the whole rationale for the measures is bound to lead to frustration.

[weavingawickerbasket]

" I said I felt that was discrimination, because it is. It is saying that mothers who choose not to breast feed must pay full price" no it doesn't it says that unless you purchase something that entitles you to a voucher you don't get the voucher. It's capitalism.

[minifingerz]

I find it infuriating - Tesco are fucking hypocrites because they are constantly caught out flouting the regulations on formula marketing in store.

They need to have a long, hard think about this issue.

[29redshoes]

Except it is about us too sextrainglue.

Some of the examples quoted upthread are disgusting. I know of absolutely nobody in their right mind who would condone what certain formula companies did in the past and the impact it had on breastfeeding in developing countries. Of course measures should be taken to stop that happening.

But I still don't see that as a reason to take the anti formula rhetoric to its furthest possible extension and claim it's ok because it's just the thin end of the wedge and we have to do it because "we need to unite to stop babies dying".

I know personally of three women who have had PND, one extremely seriously, after trying and "failing" to breastfeed, and I think I was lucky not to get it myself. How you feed your baby has become so emotive, with formula feeding so thoroughly painted as "second best" at every possible turn that many, many women feel incredibly guilty and that they've let their babies down when breastfeeding doesn't work out for them.

As you've said, we would never extend this thin end of the wedge logic to other health issues (and my example wasn't just about "sub optimal diets in the western world" anyway, I think that's somewhat minimising the massive impact of obesity and diabetes on individuals and health systems worldwide). But as long as it's in support of the relentless pursuit of breast is best, it's all ok.

[OurBlanche]

Camomila yep! Trying to explain gets me nowhere as the points of social reference just don't exist either!

Not only did the parents in the UK back in the 60s not have mobile phones and twitter, they also lacked indoor loos, fridges, microwaves, televisions, cars, for the most part.

It is hard to describe a UK mum being given freebies as she leaves hospital and clinics (Farleys rusks and the other 'national' one), being told, by an absolute authority, that it would be best for baby and going home and doing her best to provide formula one very little money, with very little of today's amenities. Steriliser? Bottle in pan of water and a huge bill! Not to mention the time... when nappies were cloth, washing machines were mangles and shops closed on Sunday and Wednesday afternoon - everywhere!

It is a different world!

[Littlefuckers]

brat it may be a legal ban, still makes me feel like shit though, and 6 years on I fucking crying coz I couldn't breast feed my babies. So I am out now coz I still feel like a shit mother whose first born ended up with long term health problems due to me (and crappy midwives) starving her.
why the fuck did I come in this thread.

[weavingawickerbasket]

"They need to have a long, hard think about this issue." Why it's non issue. absolutely ludicrous and entitled mother. She could have bought some toilet rol if she and wanted the promotion. End of. Stop presenting formula feeding mothers as victims.

If anything it's ludicrous of Tesco to charge for parking to vein with.

[SquawkFish]

Nothing to do with the DM. Couldn't care less if you read the DM link or the Guardian link weavingawickerbasket

I was totally unaware this was the case and was wondering why it was and whether others were aware of it. This thread has been a massive education to me, I'm still reading up on what happened.