[captain optimism]

This is a spinoff from the Lego thread.

I decided to do a little research about Altria. Altria is the name of the corporation that used to be called Philip Morris. They were "big tobacco." They took the name Altria in 2003. Here is how Altria describes the name change.

Quote:

The name "Philip Morris" is truly a tobacco name-a name associated with a remarkable history as a leader in that industry both in the United States and around the world.* But we also have come to own a number of companies that are not tobacco-based, companies such as General Foods, Kraft, Jacobs Suchard and Nabisco.* By changing its name, Altria Group will clarify its identity as what it is: a parent company to both tobacco and food companies that manage some of the world's most successful brands.

In other words, they didn't want their non-tobacco food companies to be tainted by their association with tobacco. Too late, as you can see from this anti-tobacco site. If you click on the link you will see the names of the many brands of food associated with this corporation.

Here is a press release from the group Infact from this time last year. Apparently Infact organized a boycott of Kraft Foods in response to the notoriously unethical marketing of tobacco of Philip Morris/Altria, Kraft's parent company. I didn't realize this, but Philip Morris acquired Kraft Foods only in the 1980s (I thought it was earlier). By last June, Infact was lifting the boycott, which had been effective in getting Philip Morris/Altria to change their policies. So not everyone is still boycotting Altria.

Now you know what they sell, the foods and the cigarettes. Do you want to know what they support with their charity dollars? They are big givers to some great causes, and I'm not being sarcastic. They make donations to non-profits in the US in the areas of domestic violence prevention, hunger prevention, and to ameliorate AIDS.

So let me ask you: would you boycott this mega-company, or would you buy their products?

 

[Meiri]

There's only so much we can boycott and still eat without farming it for ourselves. We're so not up for that.

We don't boycott Kraft, though DH and I did discuss it. We figure by supporting their food aspect we help them to be able to put less and less into the hopefully less profitable poison aspect.

 

[lilmiss'mama]

I couldn't even begin to remember that entire list. However, we do eat almost 100% organic, so we don't eat that stuff anyway. Although, I have been known to buy Breyers on occasion. It is the beer that I am sure I have drank at some point or another. I'll have to be more careful from now on!

 

[GoodWillHunter]

That's a good question. We try to eat more natural foods, so a big majority of the foods are not purchased by me... however, sometimes, we love processed cheese food, kwim?

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I don't 100% boycott them but I do try.

 

[TiredX2]

Quote:

however, sometimes, we love processed cheese food, kwim?

ICK. No, I don't know what you mean. :LOL

 

[lilmiss'mama]

I would boycott them, because their foods... processed, dyed, hydrogenated oils and transfats are contributing to the poor health and death of many people. I think we could solve a lot of health problems including obesity if people would eat natural and organic foods.