Show customers post photos of mouldy, insect-infested show bags

Repulsed customers claim they had disgusting items found inside premium-priced showbags.

Ipswich Show patrons have posted mouldy, insect-infested show bags.

Visitors to a popular show say they were devastated to find rotten confectionery in bags that cost up to $50.

Paying customers to the 2024 Ipswich Show in southeast Queensland shared photos that purportedly depicted mouldy lollies and ant-infested lollipops.

Ipswich mother Mickay Ash shared a snap of her child’s showbag. She claimed more than half of it’s contents were covered in mould.

Ms Ash said she bought her two children one showbag each who after the discovery of the mould were left “devastated”.

“Literally 50 per cent of the bags were like that, the kids were so upset,” Ms Ash said.

Ipswich Show customers posted photos purportedly of mouldy, insect-infested show bags.

“They were covered with mould and I don’t know how many the kids ate before I realised.

“Never again,” she said.

Ms Ash said she felt let down.

“I’m upset, especially when you’re paying such premium prices at the show, I paid $200 for four lolly and merchandise bags,” Ms Ash said.

Another Ipswich mother shared a photograph of her child’s lolly bag infested with ants.

“Be mindful at other shows, our bag was filled with ants tending to the treat,” she said.

■ Gross! These are the worst things we have found in our food

An allegedly ant-infested lollipop found in a showbag from the Ipswich Show.

“I have thrown them out, I paid $24 for four bags in a bundle. Next time I’ll just buy toys,” she said.

Group members shared their concern with one mother labelling the showbags as “gross”.

An Ipswich Show Society spokesman said the show hosted a number of showbag operators this year.

“The operators book their site independently with the Show Society and acknowledge our terms and conditions of trade, in the past we have not received any complaints regarding the quality of the goods and services provided by our traders or showbag operators,” a spokesman said.

“The Ipswich Show Society is not responsible for the supply of the showbags as there are literally thousands of individual bags and varieties supplied by the operators.

“We take the health and safety of our patrons very seriously and we are working with our stakeholders to ensure that instances such as these do not occur in the future,” he said.