Items the advertisers try to convince us are essential

coolcait

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Actually, I would argue that yes, we do need deodorants. Well, want rather than need in most cases. But there are most definitely people out there who need it as a trip on the London Underground in the early mornings would testify. These are possibly people who are not well-acquainted with soap and water either.

Anyone remember Lifebouy soap or dress-shields? I'm not sure but suspect deodorising was the function of those medicated soaps back in the day. Fresh body odour can sometimes be quite pleasant on the right person but wet stains on your best party-frock probably not. I reckon the sales of talcum powder must have gone down the tubes once effective deodorants became available.

There was certainly an element of devil's advocate in my question , but I am finding this thread fascinating and thought-provoking, as well as entertaining and funny.

Why do we consider some things 'essential' (like deodorant, anti-perspirant, toilet paper, for example)? Previous generations obviously had the same bodily functions, but dealt with them without the products we have today.

My question was also triggered, in part, by the realisation that the deodorant which works best for me (and is therefore an 'essential' in my view) looks like it's going to be phased out by the manufacturer in the near future. Whether it's down to society's conditioning, or my personal preference for dry and fragrant pits :rotfl:, I'll be looking for a replacement. Which makes me vulnerable to the advertisers...

It was also interesting to see how something like pre-chopped, pre-packed vegetables - which I might have picked as a non-essential item - are actually a godsend to many people who are physically unable to chop up the vegetables themselves. It's been interesting to have that different perspective on the issue of 'essential' v 'non-essential'.

On a personal level, I will always buy the pre-chopped veg packs when they're whoopsied (only when they're whoopsied - usually reduced to pennies), because it's a quick way to make soup! Chuck the veg in a pan, add some stock, simmer for a while, and serve. 'Essential'? No - but nice to have that option available.

Even the 'no-touch' soap dispenser - an advert which had me laughing in disbelief, and explaining to my children why it was nonsense. This thread has given me reason to reconsider that judgement, because I now realise that it can actually be a boon for some people, who are less able to use a traditional pump dispenser. I have shared this alternative view with my children (although I stuck to my view that the advert's approach is scaremongering nonsense, and that all the people shown in the advert could use a normal dispenser quite easily!)

What do I see as something which isn't essential, but the advertisers try to persuade us that it is? The microwave burger!

But that may be a reflection of my own tastes in food :rotfl:. Maybe someone out there takes the view that microwave burgers are 'essential'...?

coolcait

juno wrote: »

In Boots you can ask the pharmacist for advice - which is a good idea as St John's Wart can interact with many other common medicines. You can't do that in Asda. The price difference still seems excessive, but some people will ask at Boots then buy at Asda so you're paying for their advice too.

Completely agree! Thank you for pointing this out.

'Herbal' doesn't necessarily mean 'harmless' when it comes to remedies. St John's Wort can have side effects, and can cut the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (for example).

It doesn't mean that people should rule out using it - it's just important to take advice first.

Ellie83

coolcait wrote: »

An idea that the manufacturers have pinched from the Romans!

I wonder if the Romans would have seen toilet papers as an essential or not?

A sponge on a stick left in white vinegar for the next person to use I bet they would be baffled by the sight of toilet paper

tigerfeet2006

It's why I love Sky+ I fast forward through all the retched adverts

thisisace

meritaten wrote: »

MY John McEnroe moment was spotting 'Lite' Water!

How about Vitamin Water?
"an active lifestyle drink that's packed with nutrients"
and sugar! :shocked:

is there sugar in glac!au vitaminwater?
yes. we use a blend of fructose and sugar in glac!au vitaminwater® this combination of high-quality sweeteners and flavours allows us to deliver a great-tasting product with less than 100 calories per bottle (95 kcal per 500ml)

thisisace

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Anything that has a designer label ...
Most of it is ugly and quadruple the price of something on the high street.

And to prove / show off that it's designer, it has the brand name in big letters across the front!!!! :cool:

GreyQueen

When I'm feeling well enough to bother, I can be a bit of a wind-up merchant and have been known to ask, with wide-eyed faux-innocence, how much someone emblazoned with designer labels is being PAID to advertise the product..........:rotfl:And then I fake disbelief when they say they're being paid nothing........

A bit naughty of me but I have a serious point about making them think about what they're doing......plus I can run away very quickly if necessary..........

On a serious aside, it's very wise to be careful with over-the-counter meds/ vitamins/ food supplements etc. Most of these will do nothing more than produce expensive pee but some of them can interact with certain prescribed medication/ conditions and should only be taken on qualified advice. I have a rare metabolic disorder whic requires constant medication to keep me alive and annoying the rest of the citizenry, and don't take extras without talking to my GP or consultant first.

Mostly, I just take chocolate for medicinal reasons as I find it helps with all sorts of everyday stresses and strains.

building_with_lego

Ben84 wrote: »

Caffeine is added for a couple of reasons and it does make the tablets work better. It generally gives you a boost in energy and alertness which is often welcome when you feel ill, but it also appears to improve the effects of the paracetamol pain killer itself. I'm not sure if the biochemistry behind this has been fully identified yet or not, but the effects are well observed and likely have something to do with receptor stimulation or even that it prolongs the effects of paracetamol by retarding it's break down in the liver.

Caffeine does change how paracetamol is broken down in the liver and there have been some stories in the media about it as a hazard. Generally we don't need to worry, you'd have to be drinking maybe 20 or more cups of strong coffee a day to have any chance of risk and that was deemed unlikely consumption. However, there are people, myself included, who drink 20+ cups of coffee a day, which combined with a caffeine containing tablet could start to present a hazard. Obviously whoever thought 20+ cups a day was not happening didn't realise that there are serious caffeine addicts out there.

One of the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal is a headache- that's another reason they put it in. Some people may not even realise they're addicts- coffee before work, a coffee on the way, coffee at your desk, at lunchtime, maybe a little pickmeup in the afternoon... Saturday comes and you drink tea all day and find yourself with a rotten headache.

building_with_lego

Ida_Notion wrote: »

Not long ago, St John's Wort was recommended by a doctor for my teenage daughter when she couldn't get on with prescribed anti-depressants. St John's Wort isn't available on prescription, but as the doctor said, you can buy it in Boots. I duly investigated, and found that you could buy 30 tablets in Boots, complete with a pretty picture on the box - for just over £13. A small price to pay for the health of someone you love, but funds were tight and so I looked on Asda's website and discovered that you could buy a bottle of 90 tablets - no pretty picture - for £2.39.

Further investigation revealed that active ingredient amounts were identical in both products, and that the Asda shelf-edge was bearing a rollback label (much prettier than the plant picture!) which said that their bottle of 90 was now £2.09. The same three month supply that cost me just over two quid in Asda would have cost almost £34 in Boots. It's shocking how much is being made in some quarters just because people get ill.

The Kira one is standardised too, so that every tablet contains exactly the same dose. Cheaper ones may not be this accurate...

ceridwen

GreyQueen wrote: »

When I'm feeling well enough to bother, I can be a bit of a wind-up merchant and have been known to ask, with wide-eyed faux-innocence, how much someone emblazoned with designer labels is being PAID to advertise the product..........:rotfl:And then I fake disbelief when they say they're being paid nothing........

A bit naughty of me but I have a serious point about making them think about what they're doing......plus I can run away very quickly if necessary..........


Mostly, I just take chocolate for medicinal reasons as I find it helps with all sorts of everyday stresses and strains.

Well - in that case you are openly naughty then GreyQueen re labels. I take the view that "class means never showing a label if one can possibly help it" and make as sure as possible that I never choose clothes with "deliberate labelling" on them. I certainly take the view that "If you want me to wear your advert - how much are you going to pay me for my services then?"

...and I do hope you arent getting too much chocolate intake at the moment lass..