Infant Milk - No Tesco clubcard points

I have been buying lots of formula milk recently with a new baby. I noticed on my tesco clubcard that I wasn't getting points for those purchases (not that the points do much for me - more out of interest). I gave them a quick call just to find out what the story was.

The customer agent said that tesco wants to be seen to promote breastfeeding and therefore we do not offer clubcard points on any infant milk products'. When I said that most mothers would at some stage ween their children from the breast to the bottle, so pretty much everyone uses it, she stated that thats the policy.

I find that quite amazing. I would have thought that euros = points.

Also someone else told me that the reason that infant milk is so pricey is that there is a higher tax on it due to lobbying from the breastfeeding association.

Who are these people? I understand the promotion of a healthier/better way but surely not to the detriment of people who choose the other option.

AFAIK - shop can't/don't offer any promotions on any baby formula for babies under 6 months so mothers have ever opportunity to try & continue breast feeding. I'm not sure if it a legal thing but anytime there are promotions for baby formula, it tends to exclude "stage 1" milk

seems a bit of an anomaly - i'm pretty sure they give clubcard points for alcohol and cigarettes! by the way not implying there's any equivalence between smokiing and formula feeding

It is a legal thing. It is not allowed to promote bottle feeding over breastfeeding, so no promotions are allowed on infant formula for children under 6 months. In response to this 'follow on' milk was created to allow marketing...

It's illegal to have any type of offer/sale/inducement on those item.

dieter1 said:

Also someone else told me that the reason that infant milk is so pricey is that there is a higher tax on it due to lobbying from the breastfeeding association.

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There is no tax (VAT) on formula (though there is on nursing bras, breast pumps etc).

tesco or dunnes still dont give points on Grown up milk 1plus etc

dereko1969 said:

seems a bit of an anomaly - i'm pretty sure they give clubcard points for alcohol and cigarettes! by the way not implying there's any equivalence between smokiing and formula feeding

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Not cigarettes. I never heard about the breast feeding thing. I have often bought sudocreme and they never give points on that, so dunno how they'd explain that away.

Sudocreme doesn't make sense, but no shop in Ireland gives points on infant formula.

It was discussed here a few years ago.

I think there is legislation that prohibits promotional deals on infant formula.

Good man, AJ. You're always able to dig out the old helpful thread.

I remember when our first child was born - a friend of ours was a member of La Leche and she scared and bullied all before her into breast feeding babies as much as physically posible!

This is the the third time over the last 8 year that this question has been raised. On each occasion the thread quickly degenerated into very nasty posts about breastfeeding.

Since the original question has been asked and answered I am now locking the thread.

Im also invoking Godwin's law. in relation to this post

jaybird said:

A member of La Leche? She must be a breastapo femi-nazi then, obviously.....

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