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Infant feeding

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Original poster

would mn consider advertising the Nestle Boycott?

53 replies

sambo303 · 01/07/2009 10:13

To MN HQ

Baby Milk Action has created a logo for adding to websites here

Would MN consider adding this logo to this website? Nestle are still breaking international advertising standards and causing the deaths of infants around the world.

OP posts:
Noonki · 01/07/2009 21:10

no probs..I have never been able to spell hooray (think I do an mix of hurrah and horray iyswim)

anyway...justine from mumsnet has agreed to advertise the boycott ...

I used to volunteer for them and they run on very limited funds the staff were on a serious pitance and given they ran from Cambridge they were pretty amazing people.

SarahL2 · 01/07/2009 21:25

Hooray and Hurrah! That's great news

differentID · 01/07/2009 21:43

The boycott is not just about ff either.

Nestle have questionable working practices in it's treatment of employees and chocolate production is another dodgy area too.

Original poster
sambo303 · 02/07/2009 06:59

fantastic Justine thank you so much

I took the liberty of emailing Baby Milk Action to tell them the good news last night cos I was so excited

christiana I'd recommend Gabrielle Palmers book "The Politics of Breastfeeding: When Breasts are Bad for Business" for an indepth analysis of the issue of the inappropriate marketing of artificial milks for babies around the world. A real eye opener.

OP posts:
SarahL2 · 02/07/2009 07:51

I'm reading that now. It's very good so far...

BennyAndJoon · 02/07/2009 08:22

Hoorah for Justine here too

(and I herd you on the radio the other morning, you were very good in the bit I heard, before my children forced me to interact with them leave the radio; you always sound so calm and reasonable and lovely)

KingRolo · 02/07/2009 08:34

Wonderful, another hooray from me!

I'd second sambo's recommendation about The Politics of Breastfeeding. A superb book.

tiktok · 02/07/2009 08:35

I think it's great the logo will appear on mumsnet.

It's a good way of informing people of what the boycott actually is.

PuzzleRocks · 02/07/2009 08:40

Nice work Sambo.

And thanks to Justine.

Grendle · 02/07/2009 12:09

Ooo yes, I agree with Tiktok about informing people. How about a nice little piece to accompany the appearance of the logo explaining about the boycott and dispelling any myths about it being anti-formula feeding in general?

goingnowherefast · 02/07/2009 12:10

Really pleased to read this.
Grendle - that's a good idea, my vote added

mags98 · 02/07/2009 12:47

Does anyone think this will really make the slightest difference though?

There has been a boycott for years - I remember it being a big issue when I was as school, so that is at least 22 years, and it doesn't seem to have had any effect over that time.

Original poster
sambo303 · 02/07/2009 13:06

grendle that's a great idea. Before I read that book by Gabrielle Palmer I thought the boycott had ended years ago and I didnt really know why we were supposed to boycott Nestle. Now I know I am horrified by their actions and want as many people as possible to hear all about it. Mn is an influential site so they could really help to spread the word.

OP posts:
Original poster
sambo303 · 02/07/2009 14:09

mags98 I am sure Nestle are hoping lots of people think like that.

I think that's even more reason to promote the boycott on mn. The difference will come from more people knowing about it and acting on it.

OP posts:
damnhayfever · 02/07/2009 17:00

yeah i stiil boycott them even tho the issue isnt publicised much any more
are they still at it ?

damnhayfever · 02/07/2009 17:02

and thanks mumsnet for publicity for this ever important issue

Grendle · 02/07/2009 21:25

hayfever -do you mean Babymilkaction or Nestle? here's a recent example of the latter. BMA are also still v much active.

AnarchyAunt · 02/07/2009 21:33

What utter bastards

I mean, why have a cartoon of a 'breastfeeding' bear on a pack of coffee creamer? Why???

Original poster
sambo303 · 02/07/2009 21:49

utterly horrendous, how can these Nestle execs sleep at night?

OP posts:
nannynick · 02/07/2009 21:56

Can I ask a question? Does the Nestle Boycott actually work? I've heard about it for many years, even tried doing it for a while, but found it next to impossible.

Supermarket Own Brands may be made by Nestle - for example Cereals. Supermarkets won't tell you who makes their own brand products... so if you support the Nestle boycott, then you can't buy any Own Brand items either... as they MAY be made by Nestle.

Surely a few hundred, or even few thousand consumers not buying their products has little effect on a giant manufacturer like Nestle. Is boycotting their products really that effective?

treedelivery · 02/07/2009 22:01

Yay Musnet. I think a small piece detailing why this is an issue for all those who have an interest in the well being of humanity would be a good thing. Save on...er....misunderstandings.

When in Peru in 2001, I saw a huge mural painted on the side of a doctors surgery. Common practice as part of health education, and an attempt to reach those with reading difficulties. It had pics charting the growth of the baby in utero, and the resulting huge plump white baby feeding from a bottle with the leading formula brand written on the bottle.
I felt the message was clear. Look to Europe and the USA, see how plump and happy their white bottle fed babies are.

Clearly, there is a role for formula milk. I support anyone and their right to choose. I found that mural highly manipulative.

Grendle · 02/07/2009 22:02

Even if you just boycott Nescafe (and maybe try something more ethical like cafe direct instead?) then this is one of their leading brands and if enough people do it then there will be a £ impact.

Original poster
sambo303 · 03/07/2009 07:41

nannynick even more reason that an influential site like mn that reaches many thousands of parents promotes the boycott. The more people who dont buy some/any Nestle products, the better. Other things you can do are lobby your MP and MEP for change and report advertising breaches to the Advertising Standards Authority.

treedelivery that is a typical example . Other advertising is more subtle but just as damaging ie "when breastfeeding fails, use X".

I explained the boycott to my brother recently, outlining the formula companies' tactics. He said it was no different to arms dealing where the trade results in death. I think the formula companies are worse because the people dying in this instance are the most vulnerable in the world. It's worth fighting that whatever the odds.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 03/07/2009 08:08

There was a piece a little while ago from Nestle admitting the boycott hurts them.

Good show, I say.

And brilliant, MN

elkiedee · 03/07/2009 09:44

There is some material in Gabrielle Palmer's book about how the Church of England backed the campaign at one point and then was persuaded that Nestle had cleaned up their act or something, and not to any more. The boycott clearly affects them, but Nestle must still be making more money from unethical practices than it loses from the boycott, sadly.

I think it's useful to boycott what you know about/what you can from Nestle. Unfortunately dp still buys Kitkats and other Nestle branded sweets, and I fear most of our catfood is from one of Nestle's brands which doesn't say Nestle on the packaging.