While scanning through all the different blog posts, the question in one of Jenny Ling’s blog titles immediately drew my attention. Although giving free samples of baby formula could be seen as an endorsement, it does not raise a business ethical issue here.
First of all, there are no food safety problems with the baby formula samples that are given out. Secondly, giving free sample away has historically been an acceptable way of advertisement. If it is fine for a chips company to give out free sample in supermarkets, what is wrong with baby formula companies to give out free samples of the same product? The argument that giving free sample of baby formula will affect women’s decisions on whether or not to breast feed does seem to have a strong reason. This argument is just like the argument that giving out free chips in supermarkets will promote junk food.
It is always good for consumers to have more information, not less. In this case, women are open to more choice of reliable baby formula enable them to choose a better product for their babies if they decide to breast feed. If mothers don’t want to choose feed their babies with baby formula, the advertisement will have no effect on them. The situation is just like advertising of cigarettes will have no effect on non-smokers. Indeed this advertising strategy focuses on the specific group of consumers- mothers that who don’t want to breast feed. It facilitates the promotion process and brings consumers benefits at the same time.