Underhand tactics - formula companies

[AppleBlossom]

Shit i'm only on page 16 and I have to comment...........................................................................I bet I get admin'd but it has to be said; I'm reading shitty comments re quality of nutrician from a women who came on here and started a riot because she didn't know how to clean her own toilet and her house was a shit tip in her words 'unfit for a baby'. WTF??????

I'm out

Eh? Anyone want to elaborate?

 

[Dopeyjopey]

christ! So basically women that FF are doing wrong by their babies? And women that BF think everyone should BF? Thats the conclusion iv come to from reading this thread!! Every women has a choice, where i live BF is rammed down your throat, so why is it ok for BF to be 'advertised' like this but a formula company cant support BF? Yes they sell formula but the people that answer the phones on the support line are more than likely mums themselves! Cow and gate even has midwives answering the phones, and they have to encourage you to BF! I get he feeling mums that BF think they are better than mums that FF, at the end of the day we still feed our babies aswell! Formula websites by LAW have to promote BF too! I honestly dont see why people are getting on their high horse about it.

I'm sorry but it is attitudes like this that REALLY upset me. Yes, i think everyone should try to breastfeed. If it doesn't work out then obviously formula is the right thing to do. There is NO need to accuse BFing mums of looking down on anyone else for their choices, and i find that incredibly rude. I could say that i'm scared to talk about breastfeeding for fear of someone thinking i'm judging them.

I'm currently really struggling with my supply and i know for a fact that lots of people on here will have very good advice for me and won't judge if i have to switch to formula.

This is not what the thread is about, people are so quick to jump into a BF/FF war and it doesn't need to be that way.

Im sorry im not meaning to upset anyone. But i didnt even want to try BF, it doesnt appeal to me, but if others want to do it that fine obviously 'breast is best' but thinking that FF shouldnt be allowed to be advertised at all is irresposible, its like saying vegans shouldnt have info on how to get the nutrients they need. Im not getting into a BF/FF debate, everyone makes their own choices and everybody needs info to make the right choice for them.

It's ok... just bear in mind that a sweeping statement like that can be very hurtful. If a BF mum had made a statement about all FF mum's there would have been uproar.

In answer to your original question...

It is against the law to advertise formula for newborns as it isn't as good for babies as breastmilk. The government (rightly) are trying to make breastfeeding the norm and for formula to be used as an alternative if it isn't possible. Adverts are full of lies and in each formula company competing in trying to make their milk look best, it eventually gets to the point where they are saying it is as good as BM when it isn't.

 

[Rach27]

Shit i'm only on page 16 and I have to comment...........................................................................I bet I get admin'd but it has to be said; I'm reading shitty comments re quality of nutrician from a women who came on here and started a riot because she didn't know how to clean her own toilet and her house was a shit tip in her words 'unfit for a baby'. WTF??????

I'm out

Eh? Anyone want to elaborate?

No idea, sorry.

 

[smokey]

Shit i'm only on page 16 and I have to comment...........................................................................I bet I get admin'd but it has to be said; I'm reading shitty comments re quality of nutrician from a women who came on here and started a riot because she didn't know how to clean her own toilet and her house was a shit tip in her words 'unfit for a baby'. WTF??????

I'm out

Eh? Anyone want to elaborate?

Best not to

 

[BlackBerry25]

I don't think advertisements are full of lies. At least not here in Canada. We have broadcasting laws, etc.

 

[Faerie]

I certainly wouldn't ever go to a formula company for advice on how to breastfeed, but I think their websites should be there to inform mums how to make up bottles, how long they can keep milk etc (even if they do still have a disclaimer of "breast is best").

It does seem a little random that they would offer this advice, and yes it's leading you to look at their products, clearly they have the advice there to cover their backs. So in that way I agree it's "sneaky". But it's advertising, all advertising is sneaky.

 

[BlackBerry25]

I also don't get why people are offended by information being avaliable.

Isn't it good that there is some info being printed for people, and that there is a hotline? I keep seeing a breastfeeding commercial on my tv with a hotline to call as well.

 

[Faerie]

In English I wouldn't think to call formula artificial milk. In Italian it's the only word there is for it, must admit I was a little taken aback when I first heard the term. In French both formula and artificial milk are used interchangeably.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

They are full of bs here. Mascara adverts that have models with fake eyelashes and computer enhanced (says in teeeeeeny print at the bottom) and surveys conducted to give higher results than their actual average (77% of 191 women surveyed etc). And don't even get me started on that iron count toddler milk one!

 

[Pyrrhic]

Not read anything but the first post so this will probably be off topic now!


It's not underhand, but clever marketing. By putting loads of information that appeals to pregnant women on their website, they are encouraging people who may be only wanting to BF, people who are unsure AND people who wish to formula feed to ALL visit their website. So rather than cutting part of the market out and only putting formula information on there, they are pulling in a much larger market segment of anyone who is pregnant.

This works well for a few reasons.

1. The woman who chooses to BF may move onto formula.
2. The woman who is unsure may decide on formula
3. The woman who wants to use formula will be more perceptive to branding.

So for all three cases, if the formula company can brand imprint on the women, they will have a slightly higher chance of picking the companies formula over a rivals in a supermarket because they will remember the name, colours, packaging, slogan...whatever.

They aren't trying to discourage BFing, but they are being very clever (as any company would) and marketing their product to the largest market segment possible.

I used to work in sales and marketing, and that's all this is. Clever marketing and grabbing the biggest market segment possible. The company isn't engaging in the BF vs FF debate.

 

[OmarsMum]

Yawn . Conclusion: Breast is best, but it doesnt work for everyone. Mom knows what's best for her baby. Happy mom= happy baby. A mom who's influenced by an ad & switch to FFing because of it, is not taking BFing seriously, & is looking for any excuse to FF, which is a minority I guess.

Formula is "artificial" , but there is no harm to sugar coat the term. Being a 1st time mom is really stressful, & adding guilt & offensive terms to it is not helpful.

we'r here to support each other, & give advise when needed. Those kinds of debates will only aggravate anger among members & will affect the way they response to each other in future threads.

This debate is going nowhere, & we'r going through circles. We have babies to look after, & I care-less about the tactics used by Formula companies.

At the end of the day, most of us have healthy & thriving babies (BF or FF), & this is all what matters

 

[dani_tinks]

I've never heard anyone call formula artificial milk.. not even healthcare professionals. Anyway, I still fail to see what the problem is at all... I still do not understand what peoples problem with formula being advertised is, either?

 

[BlackBerry25]

Yeah me neither. I think we are starting to allow it here, because I saw an ad the other day for formula.

 

[Rach27]

I also don't get why people are offended by information being avaliable.

Isn't it good that there is some info being printed for people, and that there is a hotline? I keep seeing a breastfeeding commercial on my tv with a hotline to call as well.

The ad doesn't offend me, it worries me for the reasons I have explained a number of times already.

Advertising breastfeeding at any stage is not illegal and nor does it line anyone's pocket. That is my beef.

 

[WW1]

Yawn . Conclusion: Breast is best, but it doesnt work for everyone. Mom knows what's best for her baby. Happy mom= happy baby. A mom who's influenced by an ad & switch to FFing because of it, is not taking BFing seriously, & is looking for any excuse to FF, which is a minority I guess.

Formula is "artificial" , but there is no harm to sugar coat the term. Being a 1st time mom is really stressful, & adding guilt & offensive terms to it is not helpful.

we'r here to support each other, & give advise when needed. Those kinds of debates will only aggravate anger among members & will affect the way they response to each other in future threads.

This debate is going nowhere, & we'r going through circles. We have babies to look after, & I care-less about the tactics used by Formula companies.

At the end of the day, most of us have healthy & thriving babies (BF or FF), & this is all what matters

Agreed

 

[BlackBerry25]

Ok, so my main question is...why are you worried about how other people feed their kids?

 

[BlackBerry25]

I am not asking that to start a fight, I am just seriously wondering why you would see an ad and worry about other people feeding their kids, when it is a perfectly legit way to nourish your child if one so wishes.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

She isn't. She is concerned that this is a way of 'advertising' to pregnant women by finding a loophole in the law.

 

[BlackBerry25]

I guess I am asking...why is it the law? The government could run more BF clinics and their own ads, and I am sure that would be more effective. Provide knowledge rather than restrict it.

 

[Rach27]

She isn't. She is concerned that this is a way of 'advertising' to pregnant women by finding a loophole in the law.

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