Would you like to test Pink Parcel and bettybox with your daughter? NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Pink Parcel and bettybox have asked us to find Mumsnetters to test their monthly subscription boxes with their daughters. To take part, you’ll need to be a Mumsnetter who uses femcare products and/or have a daughter using femcare products.

Some information from Pink Parcel and bettybox below:

Pink Parcel: “Pink Parcel is the UK’s No1 period subscription box that unites periods and pampering to make your time of the month fuss-free and fabulous. Delivered to your door monthly on a day of your choosing each box contains over £40 of femcare and beauty products including a luxe curation of cult beauty brands, herbal teas and artisan chocolates. You can select your choice of tampons, pads or a mix of both from all your trusted femcare brands. This super convenient box ensures you’ll never run out of femcare products again.”

bettybox: “bettybox is the perfect pick me up for girls. As well as all their trusted femcare products, they can expect sweet treats, make-up, stationery and more all from brands specially selected for teens. Choose from all your favourite femcare brands and receive your monthly box with treats worth up to £30 delivered for free directly to your door. You’ll never have to worry about running out of pads again!”

If selected to take part, you’ll need to give your feedback on a thread on Mumsnet as well as completing a short survey. All who complete the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Please click here to sign up.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

@JustineBMumsnet several of us are waiting for the evidence base behind the statement Herbal teas are great for settling stomach cramps, chocolate helps with the loss of blood in the body - would you mind giving Pink Parcel and bettybox a prod to provide it? I'm sure they wouldn't make such a statement without strongly peer reviewed randomised controlled trials behind that 'fact' and I'm fascinated as I never learnt any of that in medical school.....

I’m no expert, but the Advertising Standards Agency have some fairly comprehensive guidelines in relation to making medical claims about products. Like I say, I’m no expert, but the general gist seems to be that claims should be substantiated at the point they are made.

It would be good to get clarity on the basis for the claims made (really not being aiming to be antagonistic, I’m assuming there are studies behind their claims!).

This is interesting reading.

www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/food-health-claims.html

Very interesting. I'm not sure the claim that chocolate helps with the loss of blood in the body would pass muster with the ASA.

@JustineBMumsnet are you able to comment about whether MN should be associating with companies that are potentially making misleading claims?

. Go mumsnet!

Despite the mixed views on here my DD and I are pleased to have been chosen to test this

just don't believe their claims....

Is it a one off box you are chosen for or a subscription does anyone know?

Hi all - the below from Pink Parcel & bettybox:

"Pink Parcel and betty listens and learns from each and every piece of feedback and it's hugely beneficial to help shape our future as we continue to grow.

We understand that a response we recently provided has been misleading which was never our intention. Whilst eating chocolate on your period does not aid or promote blood loss, there are numerous studies which demonstrate how consuming a moderate amount amount of dark chocolate can help with some of the side effects experienced during menstruation.

^Dark chocolate is anti-inflammatory and contains many compounds such as magnesium and potassium which have been linked to the reduction of painful muscle cramps. Dark chocolate also boosts the production of endorphins resulting in increased feelings of happiness and contentment. More research into the benefits of chocolate can be found here: www.pinkparcel.co.uk/five-reasons-why-chocolate-is-good-for-your-mind-body-and-soul^

We really do hope that this added detail and context helps to clear up any misunderstanding."

Um, that’s not research, PinkParcel people. It’s a blog post on your own website. Research tends to get published in peer reviewed journals and have references and, y’know, evidence and stuff.

It really hasn’t done you any credit to answer valid criticism of you making unsubstantiated claims by attempting to pat us on the head with some big-sounding words, and a link to an I reviewed self-published article (with no references) which encourages emotional eating, implies that eating healthily isn’t ‘fun’ (eh?) and actually uses the phrase “our cocoa bff”. It’s all massively patronising. I don’t know why I’m surprised though.

Btw, menstruation doesn’t have side effects. It’s a normal biological process. Side effects are undesired effects of a treatment, or an unexpected outcome of a situation - menstrual cramps and pre-menstrual tension or dysphoria are not unexpected outcomes. For starters they all have ‘menstrual’ in their names. Clues right there.

Dark chocolate is anti-inflammatory and contains many compounds such as magnesium and potassium which have been linked to the reduction of painful muscle cramps.

Okay, so the next questions are 1) how much magnesium and potassium are required to be effective in reducing muscle cramps; 2) how much magnesium and potassium are in every ounce of the chocolate you include in the box; and 3) do you include enough chocolate to relieve muscle cramps for even fifteen minutes?

I can't see the one tiny wafer of chocolate shown in your promo materials doing anything meaningful for either cramps or endorphin release. Really, it's just another cliche.

I reviewed = unreviewed. DYAC.

Also, and this is picky but we're supposed to be talking science, magnesium and potassium aren't compounds. They are elements that form part of compounds.

Also, looking at a sample list of contents, I'm not sure how a brownie mug cake mix fits in.

I also see you include an 'intimate wash'. What on earth is the point of those things?

I don’t think that’s picky Youcanstay - you’re quite right - ‘compounds such as magnesium and potassium’ makes no sense. It’s like saying ‘countries such as London and Manchester’ (not a perfect analogy, but hope that illustrates).

I think the take home message here is, stay away from making scientific or medical claims unless you actually understand what you’re talking about and the evidence is there.

At least they replied - and have been deservedly shredded. Listicle articles can be written without making claims that fall apart. It is a useful skill.

And we now have the statement that chocolate does not aid or promote blood loss. Which confirms that the first reply was complete nonsense, not just ' misleading'.

Whilst I’m glad Pink Parcel have now responded, I am quite disappointed that they were allowed to make claims thy have now confirmed as being tenuous at best, and that MN passed on that message seemingly unchecked.

To go from saying chocolate helps blood loss to saying it doesn’t aid blood loss is quite the about turn.

Is there any information to back up the assertion that herbal teas help with cramps? And as others have asked, more information about the studies you are basing this on?

And yeah, linking to your own article which still doesn’t contain any link to actual scientific sources, whilst still making claims about health, is laughable.

What utter bollocks

Does Ben Goldacre still write about and debunk ludicrous scientific claims?

Hopefully other companies thinking about trying to peddle overpriced tat to a MN audience might read this thread and think again.......did the work experience kid write the thing about chocolate stemming blood loss?!

Oh come on, I for one could wrestle for chocolate at that time; I don't need scientific evidence, it's instinct (probs hormonal imbalance more so ) We're all consumers, really where's the big deal in this ? People are not stupid, everything involves marketing. It is a little luxury, not a necessity - probably a couple of one offs for some.

'Shredding the thread' has only served to make me want to try it more.

Overpricing is not illegal. False claims are.

Thing is, inashizzle, if the company had come on here and said 'we know loads of women like chocolate when they have their period so we've included it' that's pretty true. It doesn't mean those of us who were criticising them for the whole idea (which for me reinforces 'comfort eating') would have shut up, but it's basic marketing. Putting in spurious scientific claims for what chocolate does is just silly.

I hope you enjoy the box though. You can tell us whether their chocolate is better than your usual.

Well I've read and heard that dark chocolate is good for you. I don't want to remember every medical research article or be quoted it. I don't need to go to medical school to learn it either. I don't feel like I'm being patted on the head, but I have felt a patronising undertone by some posters on the thread.