Bunnings: Victoria Police officers to get gift cards after bungled discount deal

Thousands of police officers are set to share in a massive gift card giveaway after a leading hardware chain bungled a discount deal.

A hardware giant is set fork out more than $500,000 in gift cards to police officers after it bungled a discount offer.

Bunnings has scrapped an offer to Police Association Victoria members to join its PowerPass program after discovering it went against its terms and conditions.

The program is available under its Bunnings Trade brand to tradies and businesses with an ABN, and offers discounts at commercial prices on trade products.

Emails from Bunnings to association members, seen by Leader, indicate the offer was advertised as being allowed for personal use in store.

The hardware giant also stated that many police stations already had memberships to buy products and materials.

Bunnings has since apologised for the error and will send a $30 gift card to more than 17,000 association members as a goodwill gesture.

Bunnings is set send out thousands of gift cards to Victoria Police members as a goodwill gesture. Picture: Rebecca LeMay

“The nature of the program that was offered to TPAV members goes against our policy and eligibility criteria,” the email reads.

“Unfortunately, an error was made on our side and we are unable to extend this offer to you as an individual member.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment this has caused TPAV and its members.”

Details of the blunder emerged after a caller contacted 3AW’s rumour file about a retailer cutting a discount deal to emergency services staff.

Members were first told of Bunnings’ offer last month and a small number of office staff had access to the program for two months.

The hardware giant noticed its mistake shortly afterwards and did not issue any membership cards.

Bunnings trade general manager Rod Caust said its was aware of an offer “that does not align with our PowerPass membership terms and conditions” and it contacted the association to apologise.

Mr Caust said it was working through the best way of getting the gift cards to members.

According to its membership brochure, Police Association Victoria members receive discounts on SkyBus travel, car hire and accommodation at Mantra hotels, as well as retailers such Oakley and Peter Jackson.

Officers and other emergency services staff have also long received discounts from McDonalds and other food outlets while on duty.

McDonalds spokeswoman Chloe Peel said ”certain restaurants” in Victoria offered discounts to police, but as most were individually owned, the decision to be involved was up to the owners and the discount varied.

In 2013, then-Chief Commissioner Ken Lay wrote to the fast food giant asking it to stop giving officers freebies.

The association was contacted for comment.