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Original poster

oops , Just had to tell a manager in Waitrose ...

54 replies

LIZS · 22/09/2006 10:52

... that his basket of reduced SMA Gold was illegal. He was very embarrassed, obviously didn't know and removed it all as I left .

OP posts:
milward · 22/09/2006 10:53

there was another thread on this a few weeks ago........perhaps waitrose needs a better understanding of the law

FluffyCharlotteCorday · 22/09/2006 10:54

Oh well done you!

Militant Mumsnetters on the March...

Flumpybumpy · 22/09/2006 10:55

Sorry to sound stupid, but why is it illegal to have reduced baby milk??

Original poster
LIZS · 22/09/2006 10:58

They are not allowed actively to promote it as an alternative to breastfeeding for infants.

OP posts:
lionheart · 22/09/2006 11:57

How is reducing the price promoting it as an alternative?

PinkTulips · 22/09/2006 11:57

because if it scheaper its ore enticing

hunkermunker · 22/09/2006 11:58

I did this in Sainsbury's the other day. And have done so in Boots. And Moss. And Superdrug.

lemonaid · 22/09/2006 12:00

lionheart -- basically, it's illegal to do any kind of promotion on formula, which includes reducing it in price.

Not everyone agrees that it ought to be illegal (I can see both sides myself and am a bit conflicted), but it is illegal and store managers ought to know.

lionheart · 22/09/2006 12:07

I've seen it on sale in Sainsbury. Does anyone kow precisely what law it contravenes?

Original poster
LIZS · 22/09/2006 12:08

The Law is outlined here . A recent survey found a popular misconception regarding formula as a direct nutritional equivalent of breastfeeding and the various different "stages" being misused. The promotion of such formula is perceived to undermine the success of breastfeeding, Uk rates for which are particularly low anyway.

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 22/09/2006 12:11

I think follow-on milk can be reduced, just not regular milk.

AvaLou · 22/09/2006 12:12

I've seen this in a surprising number of places. Another thing that irritated me was the amount of junk mail and money off coupons I got from cow and gate, sma etc starting pretty much straight after DD was born. It was advertising follow on milk , but still totally inappropriate.

lionheart · 22/09/2006 12:12

Thanks LIZS. That's interesting.

Quootiepie · 22/09/2006 12:12

I got a mini packet of formula in my bounty pack

lionheart · 22/09/2006 12:15

Do you think more women would breast-feed if formula milk was priced in the same way that cigarettes are (i.e. with a punitive tax added on?)

kimi · 22/09/2006 12:58

How stupid to say put a punitive tax on formula, its not cheap to start with.
And befor all the alph breast feeding mothers bay for my blood, i could not breast feed on medical grounds, but that did not stop the very stupid midwife at the ante natal class acting as if i was going to sell my child to the nearest peado when i said i was not going to bf.

So while all the breast is best (and i agree it is) mob are all smuggly breast feeding please think that sometimes its not by choice a child is bottle fed.

Original poster
LIZS · 22/09/2006 13:04

kimi I don't think anyone has suggested that there is n't a place for formula on this thread. Just that it is illegal to market it in this fashion. Personally don't think a tax is at all appropriate.

OP posts:
nickiey · 22/09/2006 13:07

Whilst having no strong views either way, how is reducing the price of formula making it more appealing and cutting breast feeding rates in uk, breast feeding is free and formula costs money no matter how reduced it is-im not sure money has much to do with reasons for bottle/breast feeding. surely there can be no competition.
not disagreeing with anyone on here but it seems a bit of a strange law

kimi · 22/09/2006 13:10

but putting it on special offer should not be illegal, thats just stupid, you can put nappies on offer (ok to wreck the planet) but not milk, its just stupid

AvaLou · 22/09/2006 13:11

It's also strange that you cannot recieve any bonus for purchasing it, such as nectar or boots advantage points. I can't see how getting 4p back to spend in Boots per pound you spend is going to entice anyone into switching to formula.

Ladymuck · 22/09/2006 13:17

Well some people would argue that Bf isn't free - after all the mother needs extra food herself (other than myself who had huge amounts of lard to shift after being pregnant of course). But the main issue is that if you are enticed by very cheap formula, then you can't often just switch back to Bf afterwards. So the reduction is fine for that week, but mums are then caught out once the promotion has ended.

SoupDragon · 22/09/2006 13:22

"smuggly breast feeding" I've never smugly breastfed, I've just breastfed. Comments like that are just as pointless and prejudiced as that stupid MW who acted as if you were going to sell your child to the nearest peado when you said you wouldn't be bf-ing.

AvaLou · 22/09/2006 13:23

I'm not sure anyone who is determined to breastfeed would just buy formula because it is on sale or offer. When I was struggling to establish it I used to linger around the formula shelves in the supermarket, but I would not have been enticed into it if it was any cheaper.

SoupDragon · 22/09/2006 13:23

As to whether or not it should be illegal, if a 30mph speed limit appears inappropriate on a particular stretch of raod, it doesn't make it right to hair along at 50.

lionheart · 22/09/2006 13:36

Hang on, kimi. I never suggested that a tax should be put on formula milk (in fact, my experiences of breast feeding were not unlike yours, but that is beside the point). I was simply following through the logic of the argument, as suggested here, "because if it's cheaper it's more enticing" and asking a simple question.

There should be research that shows that there is a higher rate of breast-feeding in countries where formula is more expensive then, shouldn't there?

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