Boycotting China/Nestle, etc

No I don't boycott anything.

I think if I boycotted everything that people had an issue with, we'd be living on air!

I boycott nestle. Out of principle but I too have wondered if it actually makes any difference!

Boycotting things made in china - I don't know much about that. However, I think given that so many things are made in china without you knowing much more easier than say spotting the nestle logo I can't say for sure I'd do that one.

I boycott Nestle, which is very hard coz I ❤️ Smarties!

I do the best I can to shop ethically and locally, but I'm not a slave to it coz I think it's pretty hard to be 100% with such tings and it can be quite boring to be honest.

I use Ecover washing-up liquid and cleaning fluid, Lush toiletries, and shop at the market as much as possible. If I need a supermarket, I prefer Aldi to the big megamarts. I use bags for life as much as possible, give old stuff to charity shops and am fairly obsessive about sorting our recycling.

I feel that I do enough good stuff to balance out buying clothes from Primark. ?

I do a lot of "green" things with regard to recycling,(I too can be quite anal about recycling!) giving ang buying from chairty shops, using freecycle etc - but I don't physically boycott companies and any particular branded products

I boycott Nestle and have encouraged my colleagues to do the same. Now we have a Nestle-free workplace and 2 more people boycotting Nestle at home too. It may only make a tiny difference but its the only difference I can make iyswim.

I think it would be impossible to boycott everything that had a Chinese component in it - you'd never know which country the parts are sourced from for your washing machine / mobile phone / laptop / Playstation etc etc.

quote:Originally posted by GMT
I think it would be impossible to boycott everything that had a Chinese component in it - you'd never know which country the parts are sourced from for your washing machine / mobile phone / laptop / Playstation etc etc.

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I think that was what a BBC Report yesterday was saying - there's just so many tiny components inside, for example, kettles, that it's impossible to say with certainty it's completely Chinese-free.

Doesn't stop me from trying as I've boycotted Chinese goods for a good ten years or more now but recently, I've found it much harder finding anything not made in China. Even in my beloved Monsoon, so many clothes have "made in China" labels on them. ☹️

Pmsl at boycotting things made in china.

most of the time, you wont even know. a HUGE proprtion of our goods are made there, from clothes in well known high st retailers, to cookware, plastics, you name it. its basically impossible.

Out of interest - why does everyone seem to still boycott Nestle? from what I remember the whole baby milk (which was v bad) was over 30 years ago - are they still doing this?

quote:Originally posted by NickJ
pmsl at boycotting things made in china.

most of the time, you wont even know. a HUGE proprtion of our goods are made there, from clothes in well known high st retailers, to cookware, plastics, you name it. its basically impossible.

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Glad Im not the only one who thinks this way. Im a regular visitor to China and see so many different types of product manufactured, that I have in my own house.

I don't generally agree with boycotting products made in a particular country - I don't think it's likely to do any good (very, very unlikely to make a government change its policies!) and could do harm to ordinary workers. I think boycotting the Olympics is a different matter, though - I think it can make a valid political point on a large scale.

I don't boycott any specific companies, though I do understand why people boycott Nestle (I think Nestle is just one high-profile case, there are many other firms that are just as bad). I do try and shop locally and prefer products made by companies that treat their workers decently.

quote:Originally posted by Bushbb
out of interest - why does everyone seem to still boycott Nestle? from what I remember the whole baby milk (which was v bad) was over 30 years ago - are they still doing this?

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For me, it's a hangover from my student days. I was quite an idealistic socialist rallying/marching type - the Nestle boycott is the only thing I've kept up (quite happily buy petrol from Esso). I should probably re-examine my beliefs more often [:I]?

I know Nick, I was wondering how he was going to determine what was from China.

FG, I think standing by your principles is a good thing, even if it doesn't make a huge difference, every little bit does help in the end. Otherwise why bother standing up for anything?

Bushbb - some more info on Nestle here:http://www.babymilkaction.org/nestlefree

quote:Originally posted by Mr. 1576
Glad Im not the only one who thinks this way. Im a regular visitor to China and see so many different types of product manufactured, that I have in my own house.

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Same here. Must be a guy thing. ?

I think we're still boycotting Dove for their ridiculous "real women" campaign, but that's about it.

quote:Originally posted by Pint&APie

quote:Originally posted by Mr. 1576
Glad Im not the only one who thinks this way. Im a regular visitor to China and see so many different types of product manufactured, that I have in my own house.

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Same here. Must be a guy thing. ?

I think we're still boycotting Dove for their ridiculous "real women" campaign, but that's about it.id="red">

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howcome? im just curious!

quote:Originally posted by AnnaBanana
howcome? im just curious!

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Its so long ago, I can barely remember, and G&T is famous for her bizarre grudges (Denise Van Outen, Giancarlo Fisichella, the entire 1990 Italian football team).

But I think it had something to do with the initial campaign focussing only on larger ladies, the implication being that slim ones were somehow not "real" women. ie, their attempts at incusivity were actually quite the oppposite, therefore Dove Ltd were idiots and hypocrites.

?

I see her point though....<hides dove deodorant and hand soap>

quote:Originally posted by Bushbb
out of interest - why does everyone seem to still boycott Nestle? from what I remember the whole baby milk (which was v bad) was over 30 years ago - are they still doing this?

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the effects of their actions are still being felt the world over, but have been particularly destructive in the third world due to lack of clean water. and it isn't just nestle, other formula companies are just as culpable.

I don't really consciously boycott anything - except Tesco - but that's more because they never sell the stuff I actually want or need.

I do boycott Nestle products. I know it makes no difference to the company as a whole, but it makes a difference to how I feel about the products I consume, much like buying free range eggs/chickens etc.

I try not to push it down people's throats, but if people ask, I tell them, and sometimes people (and every company I have worked at) change what they buy.

I also include it on feedback forms to e.g. an airline or hotel, and several times have had a response saying they are changing their coffee supply as a result of feedback about Nestle.

Makes very little difference commercially, but makes a difference to me.

Think it would be impossible to boycott China though!

D

I boycott supermarkets apart from waitrose* because

1 the fresh food is rubbish
2 they screw the suppliers which means the food is rubbish
3 they dont give a toss about animal welfare
4 they have killed small specialist retailers like butchers / fishmongers
5 they market high margin, high fat high sugar products heavily
6 for using up so much land for their god awful stores
7 for them being responsible for most of the excess packing in the uk
8 well, i could go on forever actually

* i like waitrose due to its policy of sourcing local food from local suppliers, and having a logistics chain that is far far shorter than all the others. their food is flavoursome, and they pay attention to what real food is as opposed to plastic fat / sugar filled rubbish.

quote:Originally posted by Pint&APie

quote:Originally posted by Mr. 1576
Glad Im not the only one who thinks this way. Im a regular visitor to China and see so many different types of product manufactured, that I have in my own house.

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Same here. Must be a guy thingid="size3">id="blue">. ?

I think we're still boycotting Dove for their ridiculous "real women" campaign, but that's about it.

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Err, a guy thing? No, that's why I made the point I did early in thread. It's impossible to know. And last time I looked, i wasn't a guy!

quote:Originally posted by Delia
Think it would be impossible to boycott China though!

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I remember a very funny newspaper article around the time that Jacques Chirac was doing nuclear tests in the Pacific that spelled out exactly how difficult it would be to boycott French products - not least because they supply much of our electricity!

quote:Originally posted by GMT
Err, a guy thing? No, that's why I made the point I did early in thread. It's impossible to know. And last time I looked, i wasn't a guy!

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Yes, I realise that.

I was about to reply to Nick's comment, when I saw Mr Numbers had also said the same, so I made a jokey comment about the 3 of us being in agreement.

Apologies for the offence I have caused.

quote:Originally posted by NickJ
i boycott supermarkets apart from waitrose* because

1 the fresh food is rubbish
2 they screw the suppliers which means the food is rubbish
3 they dont give a toss about animal welfare
4 they have killed small specialist retailers like butchers / fishmongers
5 they market high margin, high fat high sugar products heavily
6 for using up so much land for their god awful stores
7 for them being responsible for most of the excess packing in the uk
8 well, i could go on forever actually

* i like waitrose due to its policy of sourcing local food from local suppliers, and having a logistics chain that is far far shorter than all the others. their food is flavoursome, and they pay attention to what real food is as opposed to plastic fat / sugar filled rubbish.

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Couldn't have put it better myself!

I try and boycott Nestle too but I'm crap and occasionally things slip through.

But I did shout out "tits out to Nestle" every time I passed through Croydon station, which made me feel a bit better?

I have to say I sigh everytime I see the words "Made in China" on something but I think it would be nearly impossible to avoid everything.

When my younger brother and sister were overly idealistic teenagers and clearly very bored one Saturday afternoon, they took it upon themselves to go through our mum's food cupboard when she was out and stick white labels on everything they disapproved of - and then writing slogans like "This mango chutney was made with the blood of starving African babies!".

As I remember it, a lot of labels were pressed into service, as once they started finding things to object to, it was hard to stop, and they admitted later that it became strangely addictive!

My sister's had a child since, so I'm going to wait fifteen years or so and then tell her what her mum got up to, in case she wants to put on a tribute performance. ??

quote:Originally posted by Zebra
I try and boycott Nestle too but I'm crap and occasionally things slip through.

But I did shout out "tits out to Nestle" every time I passed through Croydon station, which made me feel a bit better?id="red">

I have to say I sigh everytime I see the words "Made in China" on something but I think it would be nearly impossible to avoid everything.

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You must have got some funny looks from the other people on the train... ?

quote:Originally posted by SophieM

quote:Originally posted by Zebra
I try and boycott Nestle too but I'm crap and occasionally things slip through.

But I did shout out "tits out to Nestle" every time I passed through Croydon station, which made me feel a bit better?id="red">

I have to say I sigh everytime I see the words "Made in China" on something but I think it would be nearly impossible to avoid everything.

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You must have got some funny looks from the other people on the train... ?

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Ah, it was a London train, you need to be a lot weirder than that to get funny looks.?

No offence taken, Mr JK!
Nick J - is the Waitrose supply chain really shorter than that of the other supermarkets? Do you have any evidence? I'd be interested to know ...

? at Hitchers shouting 'tits to Nestle' every time they pass a plant ...

And how come, by the way, it's Nest-lay now ... when I was growing up it was just Nestle (to rhyme with wrestle)!

I'm always a bit suspicious of people who say they boycott nestle, fankly as I can't believe they boycott every thing nestle make, own or collaborate with, since you can find nestle in virtually every consumer product somewhere. Also, as FIS points out, all other formula companies did they same so why single out nestle?

I don't boycott anything I don't think. Actually I lie. I am doing remarkably well in boycotting yatsees wine lodge.

quote:Originally posted by Hyacinth
I'm always a bit suspicious of people who say they boycott nestle, fankly as I can't believe they boycott every thing nestle make, own or collaborate with, since you can find nestle in virtually every consumer product somewhere. Also, as FIS points out, all other formula companies did they same so why single out nestle?

I don't boycott anything I don't think. Actually I lie. I am doing remarkably well in boycotting yatsees wine lodge.

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I agree - as it must be very hard to boycott all thier products, they own so many brands now...my OH proudly informed me that he hadnt used a nestle product in 10 years and would never use them...I checked the dog food he was using and guess what - it was a nestle brand