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Unilever, stolen by the Brits from the Dutch and now slowly being turned into something as morally questionable as Nestle. Im not buying their products anymore

by ralfn 6y ago

Unilever, stolen by the Brits from the Dutch and now slowly being turned into something as morally questionable as Nestle. Im not buying their products anymore. Protip in the Netherlands: go to another supermarket than AH or stick to homebrands.

mathattack 6y ago
How is Nestle morally questionable?
- layoutIfNeeded 6y ago
  https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/nestle-california-bottled-water/ https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/nestle-california-bottled-w...
- dewey 6y ago
  Pick one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé#Controversy_and_criticisms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé#Controversy_and_critici...
- tfsh 6y ago
  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9 - scroll to the controversy section
- ComputerGuru 6y ago
  Likely a reference to this 1974 report/investigation into Nestle pretty much intentionally giving mothers in developing countries free breast milk substitute, marketing it as superior to the real thing, then charging money for it once they’ve left the hospital and their own milk has dried up: http://archive.babymilkaction.org/pdfs/babykiller.pdf http://archive.babymilkaction.org/pdfs/babykiller.pdf
  - mathattack 6y ago
    Wow. Thanks!
    - missedthecue 6y ago
      fwiw, this claim was brought forth by a environmental group. Nestle sued them in court and won.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
- pg_bot 6y ago
  They have been through an endless number of scandals and are one of the most boycotted companies in the world. Child labor, baby formula scandals, water rights, pollution, corruption, tainted food, price fixing, and general promotion of unhealthy food.
momokoko 6y ago
Considering the Dutch created modern slavery and the modern concept of destroying entire cultures for profit via passive capital investment, I’m not sure the Dutch are great shepherds either.
- adamnemecek 6y ago
  Wasn’t it the Portuguese?
  - UI_at_80x24 6y ago
    Yes it was. Specifically referring to Chattel slavery.
  - iamacyborg 6y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  I’m not sure what Dutch people today have to do with decisions Dutch people from hundreds of years ago.
  - zdragnar 6y ago
    Isn't that the point?
    - momokoko 6y ago
      It very much was the point. Thank you.
  - Dylovell 6y ago
    People don't choose where they're born, they only get to choose what they do with what they've been given.
- dukeofdoom 6y ago
LatteLazy 6y ago
Unilever are VERY hard to boycott. They make almost the entire market of their products including a lot of "own brands". https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands
- MereInterest 6y ago
  Non-mobile link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands
- SoSoRoCoCo 6y ago
  > Unilever are VERY hard to boycott. Not really, but this depends on two things: what kinds of products you desire, and where you live. Almost everything in the link you sent is a "novelty" or "luxury" product. I read most of that page, and personally, the items I don't buy because I don't need, or I have alternatives that are eco-conscious or local. I mean look at that list: popsicles, ice cream, bullion, pre-made salad dressing, pre-made side dishes, low-cost ice cream, pre-made sauces... almost none of that exists in my house because I like to cook, so my Unilever surface is apparently non-existant (I bet there are a few things I own because there are a lot of sub-brands, but at first blush, I'm making a subjective plea). But for that last part, it all depends where you live. I have the luxury of grocery co-ops that are sustainable and I love to cook. My parents live in a food desert in upstate new york, with only one mammoth grocery store within 30 miles, and they hate cooking. They even hate washing dishes: they buy plastic forks and paper plates and throw it all out AFTER EVERY MEAL. But developed cultures have trouble with "not needing novelty", and convenience seems to always win, which makes the fight all that much harder.
- programmertote 6y ago
  I can confirm. I work in the advertising industry (only to pay my bills until I can retire or get back into software industry one day), and Unilever and P&G are one of the biggest advertisers/clients.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
ksec 6y ago
> stolen by the Brits from the Dutch Citation ? From Wiki - In September 1929, Unilever was formed by a merger of the operations of Dutch Margarine Unie and British soapmaker Lever Brothers, with the name of the resulting company a portmanteau of the name of both companies.

by ralfn 6y ago

mathattack 6y ago

How is Nestle morally questionable?

layoutIfNeeded 6y ago
https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/nestle-california-bottled-water/ https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/nestle-california-bottled-w...
dewey 6y ago
Pick one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé#Controversy_and_criticisms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé#Controversy_and_critici...
tfsh 6y ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9 - scroll to the controversy section
ComputerGuru 6y ago
Likely a reference to this 1974 report/investigation into Nestle pretty much intentionally giving mothers in developing countries free breast milk substitute, marketing it as superior to the real thing, then charging money for it once they’ve left the hospital and their own milk has dried up: http://archive.babymilkaction.org/pdfs/babykiller.pdf http://archive.babymilkaction.org/pdfs/babykiller.pdf
- mathattack 6y ago
  Wow. Thanks!
  - missedthecue 6y ago
    fwiw, this claim was brought forth by a environmental group. Nestle sued them in court and won.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
pg_bot 6y ago
They have been through an endless number of scandals and are one of the most boycotted companies in the world. Child labor, baby formula scandals, water rights, pollution, corruption, tainted food, price fixing, and general promotion of unhealthy food.

momokoko 6y ago

Considering the Dutch created modern slavery and the modern concept of destroying entire cultures for profit via passive capital investment, I’m not sure the Dutch are great shepherds either.

adamnemecek 6y ago
Wasn’t it the Portuguese?
- UI_at_80x24 6y ago
  Yes it was. Specifically referring to Chattel slavery.
- iamacyborg 6y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company
lotsofpulp 6y ago
I’m not sure what Dutch people today have to do with decisions Dutch people from hundreds of years ago.
- zdragnar 6y ago
  Isn't that the point?
  - momokoko 6y ago
    It very much was the point. Thank you.
- Dylovell 6y ago
  People don't choose where they're born, they only get to choose what they do with what they've been given.
dukeofdoom 6y ago

LatteLazy 6y ago

Unilever are VERY hard to boycott. They make almost the entire market of their products including a lot of "own brands". https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands

MereInterest 6y ago
Non-mobile link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unilever_brands
SoSoRoCoCo 6y ago
> Unilever are VERY hard to boycott. Not really, but this depends on two things: what kinds of products you desire, and where you live. Almost everything in the link you sent is a "novelty" or "luxury" product. I read most of that page, and personally, the items I don't buy because I don't need, or I have alternatives that are eco-conscious or local. I mean look at that list: popsicles, ice cream, bullion, pre-made salad dressing, pre-made side dishes, low-cost ice cream, pre-made sauces... almost none of that exists in my house because I like to cook, so my Unilever surface is apparently non-existant (I bet there are a few things I own because there are a lot of sub-brands, but at first blush, I'm making a subjective plea). But for that last part, it all depends where you live. I have the luxury of grocery co-ops that are sustainable and I love to cook. My parents live in a food desert in upstate new york, with only one mammoth grocery store within 30 miles, and they hate cooking. They even hate washing dishes: they buy plastic forks and paper plates and throw it all out AFTER EVERY MEAL. But developed cultures have trouble with "not needing novelty", and convenience seems to always win, which makes the fight all that much harder.
programmertote 6y ago
I can confirm. I work in the advertising industry (only to pay my bills until I can retire or get back into software industry one day), and Unilever and P&G are one of the biggest advertisers/clients.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

ksec 6y ago

> stolen by the Brits from the Dutch Citation ? From Wiki - In September 1929, Unilever was formed by a merger of the operations of Dutch Margarine Unie and British soapmaker Lever Brothers, with the name of the resulting company a portmanteau of the name of both companies.