Kellie says:
<<I am not trying to be a Nestle apoligist or anything. It's just that I
have been in a position where the options were buy cheap "bad" food or not feed
my family, and I will chose the "evil" Nestle any day over hungry kiddos. SO
happy I am in a slightly better position now!>>
I've been following along on this thread, and beyond making one comment,
have basically stayed out of it. But I do have a thought -- for what it is
worth.
I've never felt that a boycott of anything was very effective unless letters
to the company went along with it. For example, my sister boycotted some
shampoo & conditioner because of the advertising. That's all well and good,
but unless you write a letter to the company explaining exactly why you are
boycotting -- what difference does one person buying Pert Plus rather than
Pantene going to do? Same for boycotting Abercrombie & Fitch (which we did
because of the advertising) -- but in order to be effective, a letter needs to go
with it.
Back to Nestle -- the multiconglomerate international company that is
gobbling up or partnering with other companies daily.
It seems to me that it would be more effective (or at least equally
effective) if we were to collectively boycott one thing. I think in the UK I read
that during the first boycott, the boycotters didn't purchase Nescafe. They
didn't try to not purchase anything Nestle -- which is probably pretty hard to
do as even many of the organics are going the way of Cheerios. So maybe
something like their chocolate which are blatantly Nestle products (Nestle
crunch, hot chocolate, chocolate chips) rather than each individual company
(Perrier, Alpo, L'Oreal) which are subsidiaries, but still companies in their own
right.
The other thing that needs to be done (two more things actually) is have a
clear reason as to why you are boycotting -- is it because we've been
boycotting Nestle forever? Are they still doing what they were originally doing --
dumping formula on third world countries? Are Ross & MJ doing that -- and if
they are, why are we not boycotting all Abbott Labs products or Bristol
Meyers products?
And then finally, writing letters -- perhaps once or twice a year -- just
reminding the company that you are boycotting whatever product you are
boycotting and exactly why you are doing it (which is why it is important to know
exactly what they are doing that is offensive so you can point it out to them).
If they don't know, they won't care. And maybe they won't care anyway, but
it is helpful to point out to them what they are doing that is wrong.
I'm sure lots of you will have lots of reasons as to why we should boycott
all things Nestle, and if you choose to do that -- its fine. You may even
think that I'm completely in error -- and that's OK. Don't bother to flame
me....I'm making suggestions, not commandments. But it does make it difficult
when you find out your eye shadow has been co-opted and you didn't know it.
This way you can pick one product and stick w/ it.
Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC
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