No Clubcard points on Baby Milk!

Janepig

Sazere wrote:

This comment is abit harsh IMO, as a breastfeeding mom I find this comment over the top. Why does every thread on here relating to infant formula milk turn into a (anti) breastfeeding debate?

I thought it was the government (or possibly the World Health Organisation) that prevented promotion of baby milks. After all we've survived from the start of the human race breastfeeding just like other species! If you don't want to do it then don't if you do want to do it then do!

I'm not anti-breastfeeding - far from it, I did it myself for a time and believe breast feeding mothers should be given all the help and support they need, as well as being allowed to feed when and where they want to, but I am against promoting breastfeeding to the detriment of everything else - as I said, health visitors aren't allowed to give advice on sterilising which could have serious health consequences for babies whose mothers can't/won't breastfeed. And yes I have encountered breastfeeding mafiosi - just as I also encountered natural childbirth mafiosi when giving birth to DD.

Anyway, back OT - I think someone has said on here previously that you can get points/discounts on "follow on milks" ie, Aptimil Forward, and these are also advertised widely, unlike first milks. So get your little ones on to those if bottle feeding as soon as they hit six months!!!!!

Jxx

veruccasalt

As posted earlier, shops are not allowed to give points etc on first milks, as it may encourage some mothers to move away from breastfeeding towards bottle feeding. And I am sure we all know that breast is best, regardless of whether or not we chose to breastfeed (for whatever reason, dont lets get off the point)

So the baby food manufacturers then developed follow on milks and other varients that shops CAN give points and vouchers etc on.

So if you have been given Tesco points or Boots points on a purchase of baby milk, I think you will find it as for something OTHER than a first milk.

And if it wasnt, the shop is breaking the law!

Woby_Tide

In all honesty can anyone think of anyone they've ever met in life who has made a concious decision over whether to breastfeed or bottle feed a baby based on whether they'd get clubcard points (and/or the fact that it was 50p cheaper than last week "Ooooh look Aptamil is 30p off, I can put me boobs away for a few weeks...bargain")

I'm not sure if the people who make the rules are more daft, or those who attempt to justify the rules on it

thry9698

Janepig wrote:

Its the breastfeeding mafia at work!!! I used to buy babymilk from our local community health clinic at £2 less per box than Tesco's/Boots/Asda, etc.. - so no profit in babymilk for the big retailers is a total lie. Anyway, I think they might have put a stop to that now and are giving vouchers for fruit and veg to mums on benefits instead.

Jxx

PS: Health visitors are also not supposed to give advice on bottle sterilising and the like too as that may be seen as promoting bottle feeding, so god help the children of the clueless.

I've nothing against people who choose to bottle feed (I've choosen to bottle feed one child, breastfeed another in the past - personal circumstances etc.) but I was just giving a reason for the OP's question.

AMO

ste-ste wrote:

I think you will find its because its a non profit item i work for tesco and i cant get staff discount on baby milk, its the same for lottery, ciggys and prescriptions because they cant make a profit on it they wont give you points or discount on it .

The lottery brings in 5% on sales. When you spend £1 for example on a lottery ticket or scratch card, 5% goes to the lottery operator (Camelot) and 5% goes to the retailer (e.g. Tesco). Certainly smaller newsagents find this highly profitable. I'm not sure whether lottery tickets are put through the tills - certainly in some supermarkets they aren't and that would explain why you wouldn't get points.

Cigarettes make a profit as their figures show up in the sales figures for the kiosk department.

But yes, whether this translates into a huge profit is debateable.

AMO

Sui_Generis

tony_mac wrote:

Because it's illegal to offer promotions on infant formula milk.
I am suprised that the manager didn't know this.

I believe it goes all the way back to a World Helath Organisation ruling on offering infant milk in third world countries. Very convoluted but essentially it got incorporated into various policy documents and was adopted by most of the West.

pinkladymel

:eek: wow :eek:
I can't believe some of the things being said on here

AS IF the health visitors would be advised not to give you information on sterilising that is the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard. Even if the government were so stupid as to advise such a thing - what would it matter? A mother sees the health visitor once you are at home with your baby, by which time i should imagine you have fed the baby by now and already chose your method for feeding? ALSO breast feeding mothers do use bottles too you know. When a health visitor visits the babies proud new owners he/she has a checklist of things to tell you, on this list is sterilising and you are provided with a leaflet to refer to if you forget all/any of what she/he advises. I was also asked with both of my chidren what type of sterilising aid I was using, which she wrote down as evidence she had asked me.

My children are 10 months and 2 years 1 boy and 1 girl.

Milk vouchers can now be used to purchase fresh fruit and veg that has had no added dressing etc in addition to the old style formula and fresh milk ones. They are worth 2.80 off the above. Formula milk CANNOT be purchased from a shop with milk vouchers. You can only get it from participating clinics and pharmacies and depending upon your circumstances it can be used either as part payment or full payent towards a box of first infant formula. The government does not believe that second stage formula has any benefits and therefore does not support it.

I really have no idea as to why shops don't offer points/redeem on 1st stage milk but the legalities are certainly interesting thanks for the posters for teaching me something new!!

HTH
Mel:A

inkie

I believe it goes all the way back to a World Helath Organisation ruling on offering infant milk in third world countries. Very convoluted but essentially it got incorporated into various policy documents and was adopted by most of the West.

Yes thats what it is! That's why you can get points on follow-on milks as they are not intended for replacing breastfeeding as first-stage milks are.

julienetmum

It is illegal to promote/discount formula becasue mums who make the decision to use it should make that decision based on knowing what the normal price would be and should chose a milk based on the needs of their baby, not on promotions.

HV's and midwives are allowed to give advice on sterilising etc. What they are not allowed to do is group demonstrations becasue these have been found to be detrimental. Advice should be given individually and geared to the mother's individual circumstances, ideally it should take place in their home using the equipment they will be using.

AndyR_3

AMO wrote:

The lottery brings in 5% on sales. When you spend £1 for example on a lottery ticket or scratch card, 5% goes to the lottery operator (Camelot) and 5% goes to the retailer (e.g. Tesco). Certainly smaller newsagents find this highly profitable. I'm not sure whether lottery tickets are put through the tills - certainly in some supermarkets they aren't and that would explain why you wouldn't get points.

Cigarettes make a profit as their figures show up in the sales figures for the kiosk department.

I used to be the supervisor in charge of a cigarette kiosk for Sainsburys. They do make a profit on cigarettes, and used to offer reward points (this was in the pre-nectar days!). We even sometimes used to do special extra point offers, e.g. buy 100 Superkings get 100 extra points. Then the law was changed so we could no longer offer points as it was viewed as a promotion. Although I'm not sure how many people would take up smoking just to earn some reward points! It's the same reason that shops like Supercigs (if they still exist) aren't allowed to promote their prices in the shop window.

I believe Camalot won't allow points to be given on lottery ticket purchases as it's seen as a discount, which isn't allowed. The profit is only 5p in the pound though so not a huge margin. However I can assure you that on a Saturday our lottery terminal made a huge profit. In fact it was so busy that we had two, and paid two members of staff just to do lottery sales, and still made a profit. We also got a commission for any winnings over £10 paid out - I think it was 1% but a profit non the less. Especially since most people then spent their winnings in our shop.