'Still trying to bin them': Outcry after claims Coles is bringing back Stikeez collectables
Shoppers have hit out at Coles after it was claimed the grocery chain was bringing back its popular, but criticised, Stikeez promotion.
Popular Facebook page Foodie Mumma Ren said on Thursday a second round of the miniature fruit and vegetables collectables would be available in stores from February 12.
During last year’s promotion, one Stikeez was given to each customer when they spent $30 or more in the store.
Upset mums took to the Facebook post to vent their frustrations over the plastic toys.
“Woolies it is then! Still finding the little choking hazards in odd places. Still trying to bin them!” one woman wrote.
“A friend had these stuck in one of her kid’s hair. The hair was long, but it wasn't afterwards. Be careful,” said another mum.
Other social media users said Coles staff had told them the promotion was not returning, but Food Mumma Ren said they had been given the information by a reliable source.
Yahoo News Australia has contacted Coles for comment.
Stikeez found washed up on beaches
During last year’s Stikeez promotion, which ran from February 13 to Tuesday March 26, Coles was accused of “mass-producing waste”, with thousands of people emailing the chain’s CEO in a bid to halt the promotion.
In March, a woman discovered a Stikeez figurine washed up on Hamilton Island in Queensland.
“Hey Coles supermarkets, look what I found on Hamilton Island, is this yours?” she wrote in a scathing Facebook post.
“How about you stop producing mass waste products and try something environmentally friendly for a change?
“We don’t even have a Coles here.”
In July, a Sea Shepherd Australia’s Marine Debris Campaign volunteer named Danny found two Stikeez collectables on Jindalee Beach north of Perth.
“Wildlife can't tell whether an item is made of plastic or something to eat. If ingested a small, colourful plastic toy vegetable can be life threatening,” the group wrote in a social media post.
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