Woolies 'milking consumers'

LazyLion

LazyLion

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Woolworths, the brand that social media users love to hate, is in trouble again.

This time activist group Grass Consumer Action has accused it of misleading customers about its milk - and of cruelly dehorning cattle.

Writer Sonia de Villiers and Grass activist has created a storm by posting photos of Woolworths milk bottles that state “free to roam” and claims that Woolworths cattle are kept in barns.

The "Free to Roam" labels no longer appear on the Ayrshire milk bottles and have been replaced with a label showing a cow with a heart drawn on it, Woolworths said.

De Villiers says: “With each new dairy label Woolworths tones down the association of cows grazing on pasture but this is too little, too late, since the manipulated perception of pasture- reared dairy cows has been created in the minds of their customers”.

Fuming users on social media have accused Woolworths of not stocking organic milk and misleading them.

One said: "I specially make trips to Woolworths (half an hour drive) because my belief was [their] dairy was superior".

Woolworths has hit back saying it was “concerned about some of the unverified assertions that are contained in the blog”.

It said it does have an organic milk brand, which is not as profitable as its ordinary non-organic profits.

“We make the same amount or even less from our organic offer.”

There is no legal definition for what constitutes as legal organic milk in South Africa. The draft on organic products has never been passed despite being in existence for more than ten years.

As a result Woolworths follows European Union standards.

The retailer said: “The European Union standard requires cows to be able to roam outside, and the pasture has to be certified organic too. It is a requirement for organic dairy certification”.

Responding to De Villiers who says dehorning animals of calves is cruel, Woolworths said this was done to prevent injury.

“When injured, medicinal treatment will have to be administered, making the milk unfit for human consumption. Injury causes stress to cows ...”

Woolworths said barns for cattle were used when the climate "is particularly harsh during certain times of the year".
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http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/09/11/woolies-milking-consumers
 
Besides Woolworths remark, my opinion on Sonia de Villiers blog which led to a public outburst is that Grass Consumer Action was too early onto this without putting much into research.
 
Fulcrum29 said:
Besides Woolworths remark, my opinion on Sonia de Villiers blog which led to a public outburst is that Grass Consumer Action was too early onto this without putting much into research.
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Agreed, I hope she and her group get sued.
 
That sucks... because I do buy from them assuming that the cows are pasture cows and the chickens are free range.
 
Friend of mine used to work for a farm with cows that supply Woolies their milk. Those are some of the most well treated cows you can imagine. Treated better than most humans in fact.

Also when I drive past their Ayrshire cows grazing on the lush green grass on the way to Franschhoek they look pretty chilled as well.

Shouldn't always believe everything you read :erm:
 
surely Woolies patrons should be more offended at being called "consumers" than at the fact that they are wasting money?
 
love the catch phrases.

sad that people fall for them.

Free range chickens?
Florida_chicken_house.jpg
 
Meh (or should I say mooh?)

We buy the long life boxed milk for every day use as it often tends to be cheaper, if not the same price, than the other brands (Parmalat, Clover etc.).

Weekends we buy "fresh" full cream milk, and although it is R2-R3 more expensive than the PnP counterparts, it sure as hell tastes better. Not significantly watered down like the other brands.
 
Full cream and not just that "legally required minimum" Jersey cows milk....that is milk. Low fat/fat free is where consumers are being had and properly at that.
 
Garyvdh said:
De Villiers says: “With each new dairy label Woolworths tones down the association of cows grazing on pasture but this is too little, too late, since the manipulated perception of pasture- reared dairy cows has been created in the minds of their customers”.
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De Villiers, please also take action against a popular peanut butter brand that has Black cat as a label as I associate it with Black cats producing it and have never eaten it.
 
surface said:
De Villiers, please also take action against a popular peanut butter brand that has Black cat as a label as I associate it with Black cats producing it and have never eaten it.
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Not to mention that it may contain nuts.
 
Sonia - if you really want to expose Woolworths, ask their CEO about local textile content and job creation, then get an auditor to check his story .....
Thats where they make their loot ....
 
Sonia - If you really want to expose WW investigate their association with child killers
 
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