Neal's Yard Remedies grilled by Guardian readers

[Mojo]

The Guardian's "Ethical Living Blog" has a "you ask, they answer" series. This week it features Neal's Yard Remedies (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/may/26/you-ask-neals-yard-remedies). They have quite a lot of questions, including quite a few questioning the ethics of selling medicines without evidence that they work, but for some reason, although they apparently said they were "working on replies" over 17 hours ago, none seem to have appeared yet.

They obviously didn't remember what happened to the Barefoot Doctor (http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX/.77468140?50@@) a few years back (discussed here (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=11749)).

[Mojo]

The discussion now seems to be moving on to Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neals-Yard-Remedies/6029059567). Complete failure to respond to any questions presented to them in the "You ask, they answer" blog on the Guardian website they said they would do

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/may/26/you-ask-neals-yard-remedies

ETA: they're deleting the comments, of course.

[Mojo]

Now they've run away (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/may/26/you-ask-neals-yard-remedies?commentid=3d8f0cbd-6c86-4bc7-84f6-f53d81bfcdf6): have just had a chat with NYR.

Unfortunately, despite previous assurances that they would be participating in this blog post, I've now been told they 'will not be taking part in the debate'.

[Blue Wode]

despite previous assurances that they would be participating in this blog post, I've now been told they 'will not be taking part in the debate'


Pity. I was hoping we might at last find out what they meant by "evidence by extension" (:eusa_liar: ?)...
http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/04/neals-yard-remedies-offers-lethal.html

[malbui]

This is a huge pity as I was looking forward to them getting a good kicking.

[tkingdoll]

Oh, they got a good kicking. That's rather the point. We kicked, they ran, one assumes to their mommy.

Pathetic failure to address criticism, and once again typical of CAM. Perhaps Neal's Yard can take a leaf out of the BCA's book and issue a press release callings us 'misguided'.

ETA: that said, it's a shame that the format is the way it is, and not moderated into a single set of non-duplicate questions, as that might have resulted in them answering. I would very much like to have heard their responses, although I'm cynical enough to predict weasel words.

[Mojo]

They seem to prefer questions like these (http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Ten-Questions-Gill-Hames-franchisee.5274285.jp).

[dogjones]

Heh, some good questions on this thread (comments are closed but worth a read)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/may/26/you-ask-neals-yard-remedies


Neal's Yard Remedies started life back in 1981, with a focus on using natural herbs for health and beauty. Since then, it's grown to 38 stores across the country, and started a range of green initiatives, including a number of certified organic products, bought carbon offsets to reduce its emissions and encouraged customers to recycle and reuse old packaging.

This is your chance to grill them: from the controversy surrounding the chain's removal of a homeopathic malaria remedy to the benefits and reasons to switch to organic beauty products.

Have you ever been offered a natural remedy that was so obviously without any merit that you refused to bottle it and sell it to your gullible customers, or does pretty much anything go?

Do you see no problem with trying to be 'ethical' while at the same time selling snake oil for a living?

[Mojo]

See "Neal's Yard Remedies grilled by Guardian readers":

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=143904

[Matthew Best]

Well, that was very entertaining.

[Mojo]

Follow-up: The PR lessons from Neal's Yard Remedies public debate U-turn (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/may/28/neals-yard-remedies-pr).


Neal's Yard Remedies' decision not to answer questions from online critics is a bad PR strategy, according to Max Clifford
Who would have though it?

[Darat]

I'm feeling rather guilty at the moment since I buy and like their Citrus hand-wash! I'd never noticed all their "health" claims!

[BenBurch]

Dr. Bronner's citrus orange liquid soap is great for that! No health claims, but the bottle is covered with a woo screed that is entertaining to read.

[Mojo]

Blog homeopathy horror hammers hippy herbalists (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/29/graun_neals_yard_storm/) Graun abandons Q&A after subject hides under bed