Bounty sales reps booted off maternity wards for ‘exploitation’

SALES representatives have been kicked off more hospital maternity wards as campaigners renew calls for the Government to step in over “exploitative” practices.

The contract terminations come in the wake of a host of damaging revelations about the Bounty parenting club, best known for approaching new mothers on maternity wards with so-called “Bounty Packs”. Following an investigation into Bounty’s use of data, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined the company £400,000 in April for illegally sharing personal details belonging to more than 14million people.

The regulator found that Bounty collected information for the purpose of membership registration through its website and mobile app, merchandise pack claim cards and directly from new mothers at hospital bedsides.

It then shared the personal data without being fully clear with the individuals, breaching the Data Protection Act 1998. East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust has now confirmed that it has served a notice on its current contract with Bounty following the ICO verdict.

Other trusts, including North Bristol, said they would review contracts with Bounty when they run out in the next few months.

It came after this newspaper highlighted new parents’ complaints that hospitals across the UK were failing to protect them from “pushy” sales representatives. Families told The Sunday Telegraph that they were approached by salesmen at prenatal hospital appointments and on maternity wards after giving birth.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust changed its policy last year to give patients cards detailing whether they are happy to be approached.

At other hospitals, the contracts have remained in place and unchanged.

Justine Roberts, the Mumsnet founder, has campaigned for the past six years on the subject and said revoking access in individual hospitals does not go far enough.