Friday, 23 November 2012

The power of consumers

In the first week of November, a colleague posted a 'have you seen this product' to one of the 'dietitian groups' I am on.  The product was Bebi Drinks, a 250ml bottle with a teat in an organic juice or water range, especially for babies 6 months and up.  The tag line was 'a safe and convenient way to feed infants on the move' products were cleverly marketed, very cute, and appealed to parents' desire to make good choices for their baby.

When I first saw the product, it was everything a health professional dreads.  'Achieving health' for Australia felt hopeless.  And I responded to said colleagues email accordingly 'what power do any of us have..' or words to that effect.  But it was when I went to Bebi Drinks fb page a few days later when I KNEW I had to say SOMETHING!





















My training tells me there are government agencies set up to protect consumers against products that are 'unsafe'.  But Bebi Drinks did meet food regulation requirements set out by FSANZ, and it was difficult to demonstrate 'misleading and deceptive' conduct to the ACCC because of 'individual interpretation' of the marketing and related claims.

I was determined to fulfil my 'do something' self-pact.  It was the 'teat' on this product that stood out as 'wrong' but what did 'wrong' mean?  I headed to our Australian version of the World Health Organisation's International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, which is the Advisory Panel on the Markting in Australia of Infant formula.

Based on the 'aims' and 'breast milk substitute' definition outlined by the MAIF, because of the teat, and the target market, this product did fall under the MAIF jurisdiction. I submitted my complaint, and shared it with the 'dietitian email groups' with 'what can I do about juice for babies? I can complain!'

I heard nothing.  And three weeks later...still nothing.

In the meantime....I was posting nicely on the Bebi fb page - always adding a research paper, making one statement at a time 'any sugary drinks dehydrate not hydrate' and 'babies do not need juice...and neither do adults' and 'creating brand loyalty this young sets up an unhealthy normal for generations'....and I was going back to the product to see if I could find anything for FSANZ, and playing with wording for a case to the ACCC....

And while I was looking the other way, being anxious about wording and 'toes I might step on' ...BAM...the change.org petition, written by one mum, basic statement 'Woolies please stop selling 'unsafe drinks' to babies' came around via fb.  Within 48 hours, they had 18,000 signatures.  AND before the 48 hours was up, Woolworths announced their 'delisting' of the Bebi Drinks range.

It was so AMAZING!  And incredibly powerful.  It is the right thing for Woolies to do for a healthy Australia.  There is more to do though.  Two suggestions.

1. Retailers adopt a 'health bottom line' If it's not on the pyramid, it's not on the shelves  ....you like it?  What's that, it would clear out more than three-quarters of the supermarket, ok, so maybe this can apply to just new products (or iterations to existing products), starting.....now.

2. Food companies adopt a 'health bottom line'.. If it doesn't meet the Australian Dietary Guidelines, don't develop it.. But do this before time and effort (and money) is spent on development and production.

Epilogue
Consumers have greater power than they think, than I thought, and it gives me hope change is imminent.  I want consumers to say NO.  And I will be saying NO.

Tips du jour
1. Say NO.  Say it a lot.  And say it to everyone.
2. Be kind when you are saying NO though
3. Use a 'health bottom line' If it doesn't meet the Australian Dietary Guidelines, Australia says NO

Yeah!  and WELL DONE CONSUMERS!  GREAT WORK change.org, boycott bebi, Amy, Marianne, Erica, Helen and Jessica, Dental Association, NT Dep Oral Health, Breast Feeding Association, livelighter, Parents Jury, Woolies, and dietitians on the  dietitian's lists...gosh have I forgotten anyone??


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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous27 November 2012 at 14:47

    I take real issue with some of the people who have felt the need to "educate" me as a Mum on Bebi's products. But I respect your views, just as I would like to have my decision to purchase these products respected. I just wish everyone would follow the tip no.2 you have listed - so much unpleasantness on Facebook that it makes me despair...

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  2. Melanie Voevodin29 November 2012 at 11:28

    Hi Anon, agree with you on the unpleasantness front. It makes me feel sick, and I find I just have to ignore it, or I would stop interacting with the world totally. The Bebi guy is just like the rest of us, has a dream, has worked hard to get there, wants the best for his family and to provide for them....and there are options in other markets from what he has discovered and created - it is just unfortunate juice was put in as the 'liquid' as the market entry point. He really has set out to achieve a high quality product and has set himself high standards. He just got some 'not so great' advice in one part of that dream.

    There is always room for improvement, for all of us - i mean 'us' health professionals, academics, NGOs...in how we go about supporting people in making healthy choices.

    I think we will see more and more 'stepping in' from parents and lobby groups bc the food industry is not being transparent or truthful to consumers in the ingredients, the source of the ingredients, and packaging...for example, if there is a photo of chickens walking in a field in the sunshine on the egg carton, if i went to that egg farm, that is what i would expect to see...a chicken roaming free in the sunshine....but it is not. In Bebi's case, yes there might be a few labeling issues, or at least some improvement on clarity....but in general, they have done their labelling well. It is simply the teat, coupled with juice, the target market, and then the 'every baby and toddler has a bebi bottle in their mouths' all over their fb page.....but you know all that bit.

    Thanks for your comments. I hope your comment does help to shape how we interact. Especially on public spaces.

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