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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Boots would not let me redeem points for formular.

50 replies

poorbette · 05/05/2010 14:00

I am really cross, I just went to Boots and got various bits for 9 month old - including formula and asked them to deduct the money from my boots card and was told that I could not use my points on the formula as it goes against the companys 'breast is best' policy!! How dare they? I agree that breast is best but it is not always possible.

OP posts:

MiniMarmite · 05/05/2010 14:20

You still have to pay for an extra 500 calories food intake a day Frazzle (or 1000 in my case ) - I agree it is probably cheaper though than formula though.

Bonnyandborris · 05/05/2010 14:20

Boots sell formula on their website you can earn points for stage 3 milk so I would assume that if you can earn points for it you should be able to buy them with points too, you could have a look on the website and see if the one that you wanted earns points IYSWIM.

biddysmama · 05/05/2010 14:20

sorry, just thought tat if its illegal to promote formula then giving it away to anyone with a baby on benefits would be a massive promotion... i'll shut up...

suitejudyblue · 05/05/2010 14:21

Thanks for the extra info poorbette, sorry to hear that you've had a mastectomy. It is unfortunate that some individuals have to suffer but I do think its the right stance on first stage milk, I don't think we can blame Boots.

Seona1973 · 05/05/2010 14:21

it wasnt necessarily follow on milk as the first milks are all suitable for the first 12 months and there isnt any need to change to follow on if your lo is happy on their current milk.

LittleMrsHappy · 05/05/2010 14:21

so should cow and gate, its exactly the same product! Its false advertising! well in my opinion it should be! even if its only on the can!

islandofsodor · 05/05/2010 14:21

You get free formula based on you having a low enough income to be entitled to benefits. That benefit is not going to be altered/changed accoring to the whim of a supermarket or formula.

Permanent discounts are not illegal.

islandofsodor · 05/05/2010 14:23

In actual fact they are not milk tokens any more but healthy start vouchers so b/f mums can exchange them for fruit/veg/cows milk and formula feeding ones for formula.

Shaz10 · 05/05/2010 14:23

I try not to think of the frivolous Clarins things I could have bought with the points I could have earned on SMA if Boots had been allowed to give them to me!

biddysmama · 05/05/2010 14:25

thanks islandofsodor, thats what i meant, maybe shoulda worded the question better

Seona1973 · 05/05/2010 14:25

I dont think the healthy start vouchers would even cover half a tin of formula as formula is now about £7/£8 a tin and according to the healthy start website you get the following:

*£3.10 a week if you're pregnant
*£6.20 a week for each baby aged under one
*£3.10 a week for each child aged over one and under four

islandofsodor · 05/05/2010 14:28

Sorry awful typing should have read the free formula is not going to be changed according to the whim of a supomarket or formula company.

differentID · 05/05/2010 14:28

biddy- you are on about the healty start vouchers.
Which I believe amounts to £3.10 per voucher with qualifying families entitled to 1 voucher per child per week over a year old and 2 per child per week under a year old.
Which doesn't even cover the cost of a tin of formula.
Please get your facts straight before ranting about free milk.

islandofsodor · 05/05/2010 14:29

I'm a bit out of date but the under 1 amount was supposed to cover the cost of formula when they were first introduced.

biddysmama · 05/05/2010 14:30

i wasnt ranting, was a serious question!

i was under the impression you could get subsidised milk from baby clinic, there used to a sign up when i went with ds, i was wrong, i apologise

LittleMrsHappy · 05/05/2010 14:33

biddy your not wrong, they do get subsidised milk at the baby clinic using the healthy start vouchers x

differentID · 05/05/2010 14:34

sorry biddy- that did coma across as a bit harsh.

I am personally of the opinion that if there is a medical cause for being unable to breasfeed, then the formula for that child should be prescribed free of charge, as it is not the mother's choice to use formula. She has to use formula.

FrazzleRock · 05/05/2010 14:34

minimarmite That was the best part of the desperation to get my milk to come in, all those extra calories
Shame it didn't work.

I reckon I spent huge amounts on magic pumps and herbal galactagogues, then I surrendered and ended up spending fortunes more on formula.

Thank god DS is on cow's milk now! Lands on my doorstep three times a week so I don't even have to leave the house to get it

Seona1973 · 05/05/2010 14:41

they used to do discounted formula at our clinic but it was stopped a couple of years ago when the healthy start vouchers came out. You can no longer buy formula from the clinic now.

shubiedoo · 05/05/2010 14:44

I'm not sure if breastfeeding rates are any higher in the UK than in Canada, where I live, but formula is often on offer here, there's no specific rule about it. And you can use supermarket, chemist, etc. points to buy it too. It's a bit restrictive and I don't think "makes" people breastfeed!

shubiedoo · 05/05/2010 14:44

I mean, the UK policy is restrictive.

CwtchyMama · 05/05/2010 15:28

It is actually an EU ruling,shops are not allowed to let their customers redeem their points against formula milk.They say it is a way of promoting ff against bf.

You can use your points & you will get points when you buy follow on milk as that is not classed as formula.

Hope this helps you.

thederkinsdame · 05/05/2010 19:08

The reason they worry is that if different formulas were on offer every week (e.g. BOGOF/ 2for 3 etc) then parents may be tempted to switch brands continually, and the advice is to find a forumal your baby is happy with and stick to it (I guess becuase they are all slightly different - although I believe the official line is it could make your baby 'very ill' although hard to tell as it is so hard to get reliable info on FF.

FabIsGoingToGetFit · 05/05/2010 19:10

Boots have never made it possible to use your points against formula and not everything is.
YABU.

Firawla · 05/05/2010 19:14

It is annoying, when you think of all the points you could have got if they let you use it, and I dont think anyone will really ff instead of bf just for the sake of boots points! but its the same in all supermarkets you wouldnt get tesco or nectar points or anything for it, cos it is a law as some here have mentioned.
What gets on my nerves though is when boots staff ask the advantage card when your buying it, and when you tell them points don't work on formula they start arguing and say yes it does! They should know about this if they work there, once a lady was acting so arrogant "why on earth would you think that" etc, when obviously i thought so cos it is true and she just did not know herself!

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