Good Labels Gone Bad: Time to Boycott Burt’s Bees and Tom’s of Maine
The consumer has to stay sharp to keep up with big corporate maneuvers. I used to rely on Tom’s of Maine toothpaste because it was one of the only brands I could find that was fluoride-free, and Burt’s Bees because I assumed they made lotions and balms that were free of non-organics and toxic chemicals. But watch out, these are just two brand examples which have been bought out by big corporations, and who have less care about your health. What’s worse, the owners of thees companies are contributing millions to defeat GMO labeling in Oregon and Colorado.
Let’s start with Burt’s Bees. It was bought out by Clorox a few years back – the same company that makes harmful chemicals that require warning labels on most of its products so that people aren’t poisoned by them. They also sell items like Liquid Plumbr, Pine-Sol, and Armor All.
The original owner of Burt’s Bees – Burt – used to live a very quiet life in Dexter, Maine, selling honey from pickle jars out of his truck. But now that Clorox is in charge – watch out. Clorox is also a member of the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association, the same group that has partnered with the likes of Monsanto to dump millions into anti-labeling campaigns so that consumers won’t ever know what is really in their food. Donald R. Knauss, Chairman and CEO of Clorox, is an active participant in the GMA, in fact.
Then there’s Tom’s of Maine. The company used to be owned by a husband and wife team interested in providing ‘natural products to consumers, but now it has been bought out by Colgate-Palmolive – another company with no regard for public health. The original company swapped hands for over $100 million. And yet again – Colgate-Palmolive is in the non-labeling of GMOs game, too. They are also a member of the GMA, along with all of these companies – some of which may surprise you.
Other companies that might be surprising to find on the list fighting against the passage of GMO-labeling bills are:
- Kikkoman Foods
- Flowers Foods
- Silk
- Earthbound Farm Organics
- Odwalla
- Honest Tea
- Santa Cruz Organic Juices
- Bain & Company
- Big Island Candies
- Grandma Brown’s Beans
- Izze
- Suncore
Not exactly who you would expect to be in the company of Kraft, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Cargill, Dow, Monsanto, Frito-Lay and General Mills.
Cornucopia Institute has released a shopping guide to tell these companies that the copious amounts of money they are dumping into anti-labeling campaigns won’t work – because smart consumers will boycott ALL of their products. You can download your own high-resolution, printable version here.
Don’t let these corporate bullies defeat Measure 92 & Prop 105. You have every right to know what is in your food.
I was shocked some time ago to find sodium laureth sulfate/laurel sulphate in Burt’s Bees lotion when I came to replace a tube (without it) that had run out. I went ahead and used it up, since it was expensive, but will never buy it again!
Then Tom’s of Maine, besides their dual standard of making only one or two non-fluoride toothpastes, and – although I haven’t checked recently – they probably have SLS in them too.
For me, the only safe, relatively inexpensive ‘lotion’ is organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil, and for toothpaste you can’t do much better than Dr. Mercola’s own brand. Check his website: you will find it there, and at a reasonable price too!
JanM
I run a company that uses none of these and uses organic coconut oil as its main ingredient. Don’t mean to sell myself here but look up my user name and you will find the website and find us on Facebook. I have always considered Burt’s to be our closest competition but not now. Our lotion is organic coconut oil, organic palm oil, organic olive oil, raw beeswax and castor oil.
I buy the JĀSÖN toothpaste for now.. until they get bought out also.
Puritans has some excellent none fluoride toothpastes.
I checked out the PDF of Cornucopia Institute shopping guide… Annies Homegrown is on the GMO labeling side.. wonder if this was before General Mills bought them out.
Never mind See they on both side.. lol
I thought Odwalla was owned by Coca Cola
So disappointed. Burts Bees was my go to soy wax melt but knowing they use GMOs, I will no longer be buying from them. I will be spreading the word and sharing your article.
So, your only real contention is “Burt’s Bees is owned by Clorox now, so watch out.” Nothing fact-based along the lines of, “Ever since the acquisition, this product and that product now contain thus and so.” Why would Burt’s Bees (Frankly, Clorox) ruin the primary value-add and marketable selling point by contaminating Burt’s Bees products with unsavory chemicals? This article is a waste of bandwidth but I’m sure the author enjoys the SEO she gets out of having so many big brand names mentioned in her otherwise useless article.
Thanks for the update. Need fluoride-free toothpaste from non-woke folks. Your advice, PLEASE?