Friday 3 October 2008

Bounty - freebies but at what price?

The Bounty packs handed out to pregnant women and new mothers in hospital seem innocuous enough to most, containing money off vouchers and free samples, pregnancy diaries, baby care guides and leaflets for all sorts of products. Bounty are a well known and well respected name to many new parents, running a website with advice, competitions, and forums.But these packs, and the company itself, are under scrutiny for their targeted advertising, and undermining of breastfeeding and safe weaning.

Hospitals in Tayside and Cornwall have stopped allowing Bounty packs to be handed out in hospitals, and in other areas the contents are being watched carefully. The Baby Friendly Initiative has refused to endorse Bounty's leaflets on breastfeeding, and their tactics have been criticised by the Baby feeding law group and Baby Milk Action.

Because, of course, you don't get something for nothing. The price you pay when you sign up for the freebies they offer is that you have signed up for targeted direct advertising from companies, including those who sell baby formula and foods.

Advertising of these products is known to have an effect on the feeding choices made by parents - that's why infant formula advertising is illegal almost globally. But Bounty and the companies they promote are clever. They exploit grey areas and loopholes, in the full knowledge that this could damage the breastfeeding relationship and encourage early weaning.

Bounty packs cannot by law carry advertising for, or samples of, infant formula. But in a recent survey by the Food Commission, 80% of new mothers reported receiving free samples of follow on milk once their babies were six months old, along with information that made them "feel guilty for not giving [their] six month old 'progress milk'" It is the belief of many that 'follow on milk' is an unnecessary product, invented for the sole purpose of having a product that can be advertised, thus putting the brand name into the minds of parents. Such advertising is deeply undermining of natural term breastfeeding and carries implications that follow on milk is in some way superior to breastmilk.

Bounty also boast of the success of their targeted advertising on their website, saying 83% of mothers say receiving a free sample will make them more likely to purchase a product.

With this in mind, Bounty send samples of baby food labelled 'suitable from four months' (in direct contravention of the WHO et al guidelines directly to parents, as their baby reaches 3-4 months, so appearing to encourage the introduction of solids 3 months early.

Hipp Organic used Bounty to "drive traffic to the HiPP website in order to increase awareness and understanding of the full product range, including the HiPP Organic milks range." Whilst not necessarily illegal, this kind of marketing is clearly very close to the line.

A common refrain from parents is, "If its so bad to wean early, why are the foods labelled as suitable from four months?"

The answer lies in profits, which many people will find deeply disturbing. Bounty should use its unique position and access to new parents in hospitals to help implement the guidelines, rather than consistently undermine them.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great post. I use Bounty, but I see a lot of things on there that I don't like and I think you are right that they do include things in packs that might encourage use of formula or early weaning. It's not good at all!

Anonymous said...

Hello, great site what I've seen so far. Was wondering what you think of getting a letter written we can all forward on to our PCT's and ask why they allow Bounty to still be given out in hospitals?

Lor said...

That is in the pipeline TBM, yes. Along with a petition which is being set up.
It's not right, nor fair on new mothers and should not be allowed to continue.

AnarchyAunt said...

I have been speaking to my local SureStart midwife about it - she has already refused to have Bounty reps or packs in the local Children's Centre and supports the idea of taking them out of NHS premises. Seeing her again at BF support group (I'm a volunteer) and will get names of relevant people from her.

Claire said...

Was just thinking mean things about the Baby Show, I've put my name down to help out MN there. Bounty and Ms AK I'd love to challenge [evil]