M and S 'Little Shop' 'collectables...

[Jim Audiomisc]

We did our routine food shopping in the local M&S food hall this morning. As usual the food itself if fine and the staff were friendly and helpful. However...

Having paid for the food at the till we were given a free gift of a series of "Little Shop" "Mini collectables" which are clearly aimed at children. We took these despite being puzzled, and not actually having any children. When I got home I opened the small paper bags and was quite surprised - not in a good way.

Firstly they seem to be a brand awareness marketing exercise targetted at young children. Which I can't say I like much as a thing for them to be doing.

Secondly, the contents were sometimes made of paper, but in other cases made of plastic! Dummy washing up liquid bottle is one example. Another is a plastic replica of a bottle of honey. Another seems to be a *plastic* replica of an M&S sandwitch!

My instant thought was: So, lots of bits of plastic that will end up in landfill or the ocean, for a marketing exercise. :-/

And if you bin them unopened, they become a problematic item for refuse sorting as they are a mix of paper and plastic.

What do others think of this, or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

 

[Cav]

Have you expressed your concerns to M&S?

 

[Bob McC]

Don’t take them.

 

[lazycat]

Put them on ebay. Some idiot will buy 'em.

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

Have you expressed your concerns to M&S?

Not yet. We didn't realise what they contained until we got home and opened the small paper packets. We will be speaking to the staff in the shop next time we go.

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

Don’t take them.

Bit late for that, alas! They were given to us as we were leaving having paid and packed. And had no idea what they actually contained. Only discovered what the contents were after we'd stored the food at home and then investigated.

Has no-one else had them as yet? If so, I assume this may be 'day one' of them being handed out. It just seems a daft thing for them to do given the rise in concern about needless plastic, particularly amongst the young and their parents! Seems like an exercise where a good shop with a decent reputation decides to shoot itself in the foot! Weird.

 

[Fatmarley]

What do others think of this, or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

McDonalds do or did the same with their kids meals. You get a free crap*y plastic toy with every Happy Meal. The kids aren't interested in the toy so it gets thown in the bin without even being opened.

 

[blossomchris]

Not yet. We didn't realise what they contained until we got home and opened the small paper packets. We will be speaking to the staff in the shop next time we go.

What is the point of speaking to shop staff as they will have little knowledge as to why, email HQ would be more effective.


Bloss

 

[garyi]

I noticed the other week that tesco had coated all of their alarms at entrances with a plastic coated material with adverts on, lets face it they dont really give a shit.

 

[happy_chappie]

Worst bit is that they will sell you a display stand for £3.00 to show off your collection of tat. I really thought M & S would avoid crap ideas like this. Hardy ever see anyone with kids in there anyway. Mostly old gimmers in my local one.

 

[Still]

What is the point of speaking to shop staff as they will have little knowledge as to why, email HQ would be more effective.


Bloss

 

[cj66]

Send the offending items to m&s UK hq, stating your disgust and expectation of proof that they have organised proper recycling arrangements for them?
Record events and go to the press.

 

[Nero]

Build a website with one of those counter/timer things, to see how long it takes before the first one washes up on Tuvalu

 

[stevec67]

I'm surprised M&S have done this. Plastic has been the #1 bad guy in food/FMCG manufacture for about a year and a half now, having overtaken palm oil on the "root of all evil" stakes. For M&S not to get on this is unusual, everyone else has. At the place where I'm currently working there is one customer with a very green/sustainable ethos contemplating a 10p per pack oncost for changing from a plastic to an aluminium lid.

 

[Rockmeister]

Jim. Would you not just say 'what is it'? and then 'No thanks' when they tell you? Less trouble than this thread

 

[canonman]

Jim. Would you not just say 'what is it'? and then 'No thanks' when they tell you? Less trouble than this thread

That is exactly what I did last week,

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

Jim. Would you not just say 'what is it'? and then 'No thanks' when they tell you? Less trouble than this thread

We did ask that. But were just told it was some gifts from M&S. You can't tell what's inside the packs until you tear them open. I suspect most people at this point will be like us. Focussed on pushing a loaded trolley out of the shop. Given that we wanted to get on and the queue for the till was waiting, it didn't occur to me to stop and open the 'gift bags' immediately. Not a convenient time and place to do so.

The main reason I raised it here was to see if others had encountered this 'gift' and what *they* made of it.

 

[Rockmeister]

well we were in M&S food hall here in Scotland on saturday but ...no gifts...maybe we are too old or too ugly?

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

well we were in M&S food hall here in Scotland on saturday but ...no gifts...maybe we are too old or too ugly?

You'd have to be going some to have a higher old+ugly level than me! Maybe they gave them to us because I behave like a 5 year old...

 

[stevec67]

well we were in M&S food hall here in Scotland on saturday but ...

Is that where they offer you salt and sauce with your salmon en croute?