Boycotting Nestle

[KirstyM]

Let me get this straight.. Nestle is going into underdeveloped countries, misinforming mothers into switching to powdered milk substitute for feeding their babies. Then when there is no turning back (mother's body stops producing breastmilk) they turn around and sell it?

Well...yes. Nestle target these people because they will be easily persuaded and once their breastmilk dries up theyll have no choice but to keep buying the powder even though they cant really afford it and are putting their babies lives at risk.

If this is the case..yes, it's an unethical tactic to selling their product but if, as you claim, Nestle is already making lots of money..why would they go into a POOR country to try and squeeze a few bucks out of poor people when they could target the pockets of wealthier consumers in first world countries? It is true that the poor tend to be less educated and therefore more gullible, but I don't know..I think there's more money to be made if you focused on a different demographic.

Well maybe that is true. However the fact remains that they are getting as much money as they can from poorer countries despite already making millions elsewhere.

Also, there are many, MANY companies who partake in unethical business practices to sell their things and some are way more harmful..especially drug companies testing on animals AND poor people. Those, I believe, should be the ones being exposed because I don't know that this is actually destroying lives. Babies can grow up on formula feeding..I don't know that this is a life-saving effort.

Yes babies can grow up on formula feeding. But the powder that Nestle give mothers in third world countries obviously has to be mixed with water and Nestle know that the only water they have access to is dirty and probably full of diseases. The babies are still young and their immune systems have not yet developed so they cannot respond to the dirty water which means they are 25 times more likely to die. Obviously one solution would be to clean the water or educate the mothers but we just dont have the resources to do that. The World Health Organisation are doing all they can but this is still a huge problem.

Unfortunately you are right about the fact that so many other countries also are unethical, however right now I am focusing on Nestle because I know that if action was taken against Nestle or if the boycott became so much that Nestle were forced to change their ways, a number of other companies would take the hint and change their ways too because it would only be a matter of time until they got the same treatment.

[KirstyM]

PS.. Found this info.. thought you might find it interesting, [url]http://www.snopes.com/toxins/enfalac.htm[/url]

But how valid is that information?

There are various official anti-Nestle companies set up, and the boycott originated in 1977, I believe, so I seriously doubt this is something similar to that example.

[blue]

i love chochalate too.!!!!

[blue]

what is wrong with formula? i myself am all for breastfeeding i did w my son for a long time, but i also know that if you feed babies formula that they will be ok. whats wrong with nestle going to some other countries and promoting there products. are you saying that beacause they dont let women know how good breastfeeding is that they are wrong in doing what they are doing? i mean if these women are not informed and they do not breastfeed already then how are they feeding their kids? some other form...why not nestle. the most important thing here should be how to inform other women in other countries is this nestle job?

[blue]

but if the women breastfeed and they drink this bad water dosent that all pass thru from breastmilk to baby?

[KirstyM]

what is wrong with formula? i myself am all for breastfeeding i did w my son for a long time, but i also know that if you feed babies formula that they will be ok. whats wrong with nestle going to some other countries and promoting there products. are you saying that beacause they dont let women know how good breastfeeding is that they are wrong in doing what they are doing? i mean if these women are not informed and they do not breastfeed already then how are they feeding their kids? some other form...why not nestle. the most important thing here should be how to inform other women in other countries is this nestle job?

Well the problem isnt exactly the formula alone. Nestle give mothers a powder which obviously requires water. The only water the mothers have access to is dirty.

[KirstyM]

but if the women breastfeed and they drink this bad water dosent that all pass thru from breastmilk to baby?

Well not in the same way because the mothers have more nutrients and their immune system kind of combats the dirty water a bit. Obviously they are still affected by the water but they are more able to fight it. When the babies are fed the Nestle with dirty water, it doesnt have any of the nutrients from the mother, and the babies cant cope with it alone, their immune systems havent developed yet. By drinking the Nestle dirty water mix, the babies are 25 times more likely to die.

[KirstyM]

i love chochalate too.!!!!

Seriously, Cadburys is much nicer

[sfalexi]

When the babies are fed the Nestle with dirty water, it doesnt have any of the nutrients from the mother, and the babies cant cope with it alone, their immune systems havent developed yet. By drinking the Nestle dirty water mix, the babies are 25 times more likely to die.

Well in that case, what kind of mother mixes a baby formula with dirty water? Or even TAP water?! If it was a small infant child, they should care enough to use filtered, or bottled water. Or even better, CHECK WITH THE FRIGGIN' DOCTOR as to which water would be the best!

Once again, I stand by nestle, and boycott stupidity.

Rod Steele

[KirstyM]

Well in that case, what kind of mother mixes a baby formula with dirty water? Or even TAP water?! If it was a small infant child, they should care enough to use filtered, or bottled water. Or even better, CHECK WITH THE FRIGGIN' DOCTOR as to which water would be the best!

Once again, I stand by nestle, and boycott stupidity.

Rod Steele

Didnt you read my earlier comments? We are not going to get far here if I have to keep repeating myself.

These women are UNEDUCATED. We are talking about Africa here. They probably dont even have taps, they have to walk miles and miles to get water and yes it is dirty. They have no choice - they drink dirty water or they die. There is about one doctor to every couple thousand people. They cannot go and double check with their doctor. The World Health Organisation are doing all they can to help the situation but it is not enough. They dont know that the water will harm their kids in the way that it will. It isnt that they dont care - they just dont know.

[sfalexi]

If the formula is given to them, perhaps the people giving it should take it upon themselves to stress about the dangers of mixing it with dirty water BEFORE handing it out. I'm not sure (it's vague above) whether it's actually NESTLE handing it out, or if nestle donates formula to people who THEN hand it out, but the middleman (whoever it is) should be the one letting them know the ups and downs of formula vs breastfeeding.

As far as "Obviously one solution would be to clean the water or educate the mothers but we just dont have the resources to do that." How much education is necessary about babyformula vs breastfeeding? It doesn't sound to me like it requires a doctorate's degree and a weekend of classes. It seems like it could be something that is just said to the mother as they go to pick up their formula. Too bad poland spring isn't out there giving bottles of water . . . cause that apparently would be a match made in heaven.

Also, if this is such a problem, and breastfeeding is better for the baby, why is nestle even going through the effort of supplying formula? There must be SOME beneficial reason for them to be donating so much of a product that they COULD be selling. If there IS an alternative beneficial reason that they are trying to get the women to use formula instead of breastfeeding, then perhaps you are just focusing on the wrong problem.

Rod Steele

[Illusional]

kirsty.. what's what either coffee or redbulls are for. energy!!! i drink one before i go to the gym everytime.

raverboy

[KirstyM]

If the formula is given to them, perhaps the people giving it should take it upon themselves to stress about the dangers of mixing it with dirty water BEFORE handing it out.

Yes they should. I'm not sure myself whether its Nestle people or somebody else however I do know that the people who give the formula out got their information from Nestle.

There is a reason why Nestle DONT explain the dangers of mixing it with dirty water - the mothers dont have any clean water so they just wont buy the formula if this is the case! Nestles strategies are all about money-making hence the misleading information. Obviously the mothers should be given all the facts clearly but they are not.

Also, if this is such a problem, and breastfeeding is better for the baby, why is nestle even going through the effort of supplying formula? There must be SOME beneficial reason for them to be donating so much of a product that they COULD be selling.

They dont go around donating free formula to the entire population of Africa.

They convince the mothers to try the formula and see how it goes - the mothers dont realise that as soon as they stop breastfeeding, their breastmilk will dry up, so they are easily persuaded. Then they have to continue buying formula even though they cant afford it because if they dont their babies will starve.

[KirstyM]

kirsty.. what's what either coffee or redbulls are for. energy!!! i drink one before i go to the gym everytime.

Oh I dont drink coffee, soooo much easier just to pick up a digestive biscuit or something.

[Illusional]

digestive biscuit?? that won't even hold me over for an hour... besides i need my coffee in the morning so i can make it to my first class. otherwise, i'm in the back falling asleep when the teacher is giving his boring lecture. raverboy