Woolworths unveils new Discovery Garden details
Details surrounding Woolworths’ new Discovery Garden promotion have been released by the supermarket as it prepares to launch seedling kit collectables for the second time.
Much like the retailer’s campaign in 2019, shoppers will be eligible for a seedling kit for every $30 they spend, with 24 varieties to collect onwards from Wednesday.
Unlike the previous launch, the new kits have a focus on “educating Australians about honeybees”, with all but two of the seedlings designed to attract bees.
Seedlings will come packaged in a cardboard sleeve with care instructions and an identifying label, with a seed mat made from biodegradable dissolvable paper to also be included in the kit.
A pod made from coconut husk will contain the seeds, which are designed to be planted in the pot provided which is made from wood pulp and is compostable in soil.
While all materials used in the seedling kits are completely recyclable, some shoppers are concerned the collectables aren’t entirely Australian made.
There was concern about the matter after Woolworths teased the new launch last week, with customers vowing to not support it if Australian suppliers were not used.
A variety of foreign materials were used in the 2019 promotion, including the soil tablets which contained ingredients from Sri Lanka and were produced in the Netherlands.
The seedling kits were assembled in Poland using components from manufacturers across the world including Australia.
Woolworths claimed at the time there was no “manufacturing capability in Australia to produce the pot, the soil pellet, and the seed mat to the quantity needed for this community program”.
A spokesperson said that while efforts were made to supply more materials locally this year, some still had to be imported from overseas, including the seeds themselves.
The seeds come from various seed companies that buy quality seeds from around the world, Woolworths said.
‘Bee-attracting seedlings’ to replenish gardens and flora
The new seedlings will be offered in a broad-scale attempt to support the generation of plant life across the country following devastation caused by drought and bushfires.
“The response to our first Discovery Garden program in 2019 was overwhelmingly positive, with families collecting millions of seedling kits and discovering how to grow the flowers, vegetables, and herbs together,” Woolworths Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Hicks said.
“With so much of our floral resources decimated by recent droughts, bushfires and floods, our focus this year is to encourage pollination through our bee-attracting seedlings and replenish local gardens and community flora.
“The Woolworths Discovery Garden program is a part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, which aims to not only have a positive impact on the planet, but start conversations amongst families that result in positive change for the local environment to help create a better tomorrow.”
What seedlings will be included?
A variety of herbs, vegetables and flowers are set to become available onwards from Wednesday.
The collectable herbs will be chives, cornflower, lemon balm, oregano, red basil, sage and thyme.
The flowers will be aster, dianthus, lavender, pansy, phacelia, phlox, poppy, salvia, Swan River daisy and zinnia.
Bunching onion, cabbage, carrot, cherry tomato, lettuce, silverbeet and spinach will be the collectable vegetables.
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