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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Coooeee, VS! I have a conspiracy theory to test...

39 replies

AnarchyAunt · 01/10/2008 15:51

So, who runs Bounty? Who moderates it and who are they accountable to?

Its a commercial enterprise, no? Bounty and the baby food companies are licking each others arses connected. They have free samples of 'from 4 month' food and follow-on milk and all sorts in Bounty packs. Like this

So therefore its presumably not that important to them to ensure that safe advice is given out on the forums, as they are actually promoters of baby food.

Or am I paranoid?

OP posts:
charchargabor · 01/10/2008 16:04

I know I'm not vs, but that is quite interesting. Sounds like it could be the case too, which is sad.

mrsbabookaloo · 01/10/2008 16:08

Yes, when I encountered Bounty packs i thought they were very suspicious; there is no exaplanation of who Bounty are (presumably a marketing company) and I was shocked that they can just waltz into NHS property with their blatant advertising for a lot of products which are unnecessary or bad for your baby.

Original poster
AnarchyAunt · 01/10/2008 16:10

Hmmm.

I might ask them some questions - any ideas on exactly what and how to word it are welcome.

OP posts:
Original poster
AnarchyAunt · 01/10/2008 19:03

.

OP posts:
MrsJamin · 02/10/2008 12:20

I don't like Bounty either, they are paid huge amounts by the big baby companies to push their products to new mums. It had crossed my mind too that Bounty may be swayed by their advertisers on this but I can't imagine any company endorsing solids before 17 weeks - surely not?!

Original poster
AnarchyAunt · 02/10/2008 12:24

Well, no. But Bounty seem remarkably lassez-faire about the terrible and dangerous advice their members are giving each other, whilst banning people who have attempted to counter the crap being spouted with sensible advice.

I know thay can't actively endorse anything, but find it a bit that the forum that seems to have the most 'early weaners' is one run by a commercial group with links to baby food companies.

OP posts:
Original poster
AnarchyAunt · 02/10/2008 12:33

See here - they are a company that specifically provides marketing of baby food aimed at 3-4 month old babies.

OP posts:
VictorianSqualor · 02/10/2008 20:13

I mentioned similar here

VictorianSqualor · 02/10/2008 20:16

But yes. I agree that their reasons are unsavoury, especially the continuous deletion of any threads with real scientific evidence backing uyp waiting to wean, yet happily allowing an 'early weaning club' to continue.

RaggedRobin · 02/10/2008 20:55

oh god, bounty are my nemeses. i wrote to my mp after the birth of dc1 to complain about bounty. in scotland, official documents (family tax credit forms, etc) are handed out inside bounty packs which make them seem official.

i first started to feel angry about the company when they sent their photographer round, putting pressure on people to buy very expensive photos. i was in the hospital for 9 days after the birth, and the phtographer regularly hassled me to buy them, saying things like "oh but your baby is so lovely" - as though i needed her photos as evidence of how lovable my baby was.

i started to really dislike bounty when i got home with new baby to find the number of unsolicited marketing phone calls had increased dramatically.

i find the fact that bounty know your baby's date of birth, etc and can use this for VERY heavy handed marketing totally unacceptable. glad to hear i'm not alone.

didn't get reply from my mp though. obviously thought i was nuts

angry from paisley.

stretchmarkqueen · 02/10/2008 21:02

I need to find out who my ctf for dd2 is, think it may be children mutual, which is bounty. If it is I'm moving it, and will explain that it is down to bounty and their lack of moderating the 0-3 weaning boards. I will put it better than that, but I've had a drink!!

WRT bounty packs and hospitals, bounty HATE home-birthers because we never fill in their goddammed forms!! [evil] My MW TOLD me I had to fill it in when she gave me pack, as bounty woman had been harressing her!! I didn't of course!!

Original poster
AnarchyAunt · 02/10/2008 21:05

I never got a Bounty pack as I had a homebirth.

Friends were saying Oh No! But the free stuff! and I was wondering why the feck I'd want any of it anyway

OP posts:
stretchmarkqueen · 02/10/2008 21:09

Oh, I used it!! Some stuff was quite handy, chucked other gunk in the bin!!

MrsJamin · 03/10/2008 08:25

it's all baby products I don't use though - cloth nappying, blwing and natural toiletries don't exactly go hand in hand with baby marketing! I am quite smug in that I don't buy anything on the baby aisle at all - so bounty have failed completely with me!

Their business site really annoyed me - saying that new mums needed 'educating' about products. It is a business but I wish it wasn't so entrenched in the NHS - it makes it look like it's part of it!

VictorianSqualor · 03/10/2008 09:13

I think we should campaign to the NHS against Bounty being used in their hospitals.
I am also going to contact WHO and DoH today.

sunshine75 · 03/10/2008 09:17

I didn't get a bounty pack. In fact the first I had heard of bounty was on mn.

Original poster
AnarchyAunt · 03/10/2008 10:40

Yes what do the Baby Freindly Initiative say about it?

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 04/10/2008 11:37

definitely some hospitals already don't hand them out.

charitas · 04/10/2008 12:04

There was a sickening amount of packaging in thesecond pack from boots for the content I would never have picked it up if I'd known. VS what sort of stuff are you putting in your letter as I want to contact my foundation hospitals thingy as am a member. I rember thinking that 1) the healthy eating infomation should be given out before booking by GP and 2) I can't recall there being any advice on the need for some mums from some religons/ethnic minorities to check if they need to take vitD. I am saddo and read everything I am given even the back of the cereal packet.

happycamper10180 · 04/10/2008 18:01

When I needed my child benefit claim form I was told to look in my bounty pack , had already binned it by that stage so had to apply online but honestly what are government forms doing in a bag full of advertising??

I think I'm going to write to my local hospital as they also had the bounty stalkers photographers hassling new mums. It's the last thing anyone needs when they're feeling a bit fragile.

VictorianSqualor · 05/10/2008 11:48

I've just written about this on the other thread, got my 6+month bounty pack yesterday.
Full of mush 'food' for 'from 4 months'.

Natt82 · 05/10/2008 12:03

I liked my bounty pack - well the free comfort pure and baby wipes anyway ;-) The gumpf gave me something to read in the 3 days post section too!

I admit, I havent bothered picking up any bounty packs from asda/boots as I dont really want all the pamphlets and rubbish that come with the 1 maybe useful thing they may contain!

Most of my hospital bounty pack went in the bin or parents room at the hospital!

InTheDollshouse · 06/10/2008 09:38

Do hospitals get money from Bounty for handing out packs? Why do they let them?

stretchmarkqueen · 06/10/2008 11:03

??

VictorianSqualor · 06/10/2008 11:54

You're doing good on your googling smq