Page 2 | Anyone see this about Bounty packs? MN quoted

whomovedmychocolate · 07/07/2009 20:48

MrsJamin - I suggest you learn to be a poor speller when handing over your email address too them - has helped me loads to be unsure of how to spell .

Qally · 07/07/2009 20:57

I had lots of photos when my son was born, in a hospital. My mum took them - the first is before the third stage - even before he'd pinked up.

I was so exhausted when the Bounty woman came, I had real trouble refusing my details; she kept insisting that they'd not be sold on so it was fine, and I gave in. I've never had any mailings, to be fair, but I was still fed up - didn't use or want any of the freebies either.

I hate Bounty and it makes me angry that they're allowed to do it, commodifying birth and pouncing on people who are vulnerable.

Original poster

hunkermunker · 07/07/2009 22:05

People on this thread who say they love the Bounty packs, what do you love about them?

Is it the information in them? The advertising leaflets? Or the little pot of Sudocrem?

OP posts:

whomovedmychocolate · 07/07/2009 22:11

I quite like the little tub of sudocrem and have refilled it so I have a teeny tiny tub in my handbag and can pretend to be a giant

Also I felt quite virtuous recycling all the packaging when I got home (I know rationally it would have been better to not have it in the first place but ho hum)

whomovedmychocolate · 07/07/2009 22:12

Actually I thought the comedy leaflets were quite fun too and quite fitting really that you received washing powder and benefits forms - after all if you are a parent you will have no money but a huge stack of laundry

PerfectPrefect · 07/07/2009 22:21

I got the bounty packs even though DTDs were on SCBU. They didn't hound for photo's though - although they were doing some children on SCBU I think they were of teh short term patients whose mothers were still on the ward at the time.

By the time mine got to a point of being medically suitable for a photo I had been home 3m.

I did have a photo done of DD3 - and I did buy one of their packs too. Personally I didnt find it particularly expensive (compared to other agencies) - although perhaps a little more basic. I guess I just followed "family tradition" rather than being conned by a "Bounty Lady".

Meglet · 07/07/2009 22:54

hunker i loved the baby wipes tubs, mini sudocream, fabric conditioner, washing powder mini toothpaste, mini anti-bac spray, which is still only half used after 2.5 years . We neve got hassled though, maybe our local one is nice. She even chatted about bf as I was having a rotten time, she said it had taken weeks to get her dc latched on, so it cheered me up and it helped me stick with it (got ds latched on at 3 weeks in the end). No photos either time, wasn't even asked!

mybabywakesupsinging · 07/07/2009 23:31

Ok so: rarely use wipes, think sudocream smells yuck, never used fabric conditioner ever (ds1 funny skin), use ecoballs/ecover not washing liquid...
so safe to pretend to be asleep when bounty lady calls?
That is, of course, should we get round to dc3..

pigletmania · 07/07/2009 23:57

Hunkermunker I love the freebies, like the Sudocreme, wipes, baby bath wash and washing liquid, i use them and throw the bumph away. We some of you so cynical about them, just thought it was nice to have the pack, you dont have to read the info.

Alestorm · 07/07/2009 23:59

I love how Bounty shoehorn this bit at the end of their quote:

"Every day thousands of new mums choose to receive a free sample pack and other services from Bounty."

Well, as all the CB forms are in there, and the reps are practically ramming them down peoples' throats, it's not really a choice is it?

I had a HB with dd so no Bounty Pack (I'm not sure our Trust has them TBH, cause I got something to do with Lloyds Pharmacy when I was pg) and getting the CB forms was really hard as we don't have a printer so can't print them off the net!

pigletmania · 08/07/2009 00:00

I dont think i was even asked my detailes just handed a pack by the woman, i certainly never get anything from Bounty any spam

Alestorm · 08/07/2009 00:05

I'm guessing that the salespeople have targets to meet, and such, which is why some of them are more pushy than others?

MrsJamin · 08/07/2009 07:12

Yep just checked my trash folder and I got an email 3 weeks after DS was born from [email protected] with the subject "The cost of parenthood is rising", telling me:

GOOD NEWS: when you pay off existing credit with a Debtbuster Loan, we could arrange a lower monthly repayment for you.

This is when I expressly said I didn't want them to pass on my details to any other companies or send me any marketing communications. I should have followed this up with a complaint but in the hazy newborn days I couldn't be bothered. I think it's :O that something you could sign up to in an NHS hospital could lead to you being sent debt consolidation emails

pigletmania · 08/07/2009 08:58

I think that I would have given them a false e mail had they asked for my details and fake address lol

Rhian82 · 08/07/2009 09:13

I'd read about them on here and was all ready to be bolshy with them and tell them to go away, but they don't do them at our hospital

Downloaded the benefit forms online, no problems.

StealthPolarBear · 08/07/2009 12:01

lol Faq - sounds like a proud grandad!

ProfYaffle · 08/07/2009 12:19

Meglet - Bounty don't always have the photo contract at the hospital, when I had my dds the Bounty ladies just dropped off the packs and another company came round to do the photos.

With dd1 I found the overnight bag really helpful, it had toothpaste, toothbrush, snacks, nappies etc in it, v handy if you hadn't had time to pack a bag or something. By the time I had dd2 it had all changed and I got some very handy fabric conditioner. I mean wtf? In a hospital overnight bag?

carmenelectra · 08/07/2009 12:28

Dont see the issue. I work on a maternity wardand we have a Bounty lady and a photographer. You can choose to say no, or just take freebies from bag and CB form and chuck the rest away.

Most people on our ward actually ask where the photographer is and if they go home without Bounty pack they will ring up and ask us to save them one! Think something to do with CB form

You dont have to give details out to anyone.

I personally didnt have the photos done myself and i think waste of money when i can take loads of my own for free.

elkiedee · 08/07/2009 13:01

I've used some of the freebies from Bounty bags but lost the Child Benefit form and had to get another one.

I remember enjoying the rosehip syrup which came in the packs when my brother and sister were born (?) or were they given out later? (I would have been nearly 8 and then nearly 11 at the time).

I'm shocked by some of the stories here, those things haven't happened to me, but I believe it and I think there's a real problem if hospitals are relying on income from this kind of marketing for their budgets, particularly as Bounty are presumably making lots of money out of it.

Interestingly, local HVs here advise against using loads of Johnsons products on your baby anyway, I had some sort of baby wash which I used in the shower on me instead, so it was useful.

I've no intention of chasing up a weaning pack.

pigletmania · 08/07/2009 13:38

Looks like I got off lightly then

princessmel · 08/07/2009 13:48

I loved the photo lady and actually looked out for her!! I was worried I'd miss her. I wanted one so it would match the one I had of ds.

I will do the same this time.

I am photo mad and take millions myself.
I have the credit card thingy in my purse with the picture on one side and the name and date on the other side.

thehairybabysmum · 08/07/2009 13:54

Same as Princessmel. The photographer took a great photo of ds1 and i also had a lovely one of ds2.

She was lovely, not pressuring me at all. No hassle since re sales calls or bumf.

Thought the packs were fairly crap but was handy to have the child benefit form as i would never have remebered to get round to it otherwise.

The ear check lady was also v. lovely at our hospital.