Woolworths reveals Christmas collectable range

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the checkout, Woolies has unveiled a new collectable range to hit back at Coles’ Little Shop.

Woolworths has launched a new range of Christmas collectibles after the massive success of Coles’ Little Shop.

The Christmas Pop-Outs campaign, which launches on Wednesday, features 12 buildable cardboard characters. Customers will receive one for each $30 they spend in-store or online.

The characters include Santa, Reindeer, Elves, Gingerbread Man and Snowman. The pieces “pop out” from the cardboard frame and can be assembled using the instructions at the bottom of the board.

Three characters will be released each week for the next month. For an additional $3 collectors can buy a Christmas Tree Stand to house the characters.

In a not-so-subtle dig at Coles, Woolworths said customers would “also be able to see what they are getting” as the pop-outs “will not come in ‘blind plastic bags’ to help avoid duplication or disappointment and minimise waste”.

“Our commitment every Christmas is to continue to deliver fantastic fresh food at the best prices and this year, we are adding something a little magical to the mix,” Woolworths managing director Claire Peters said in a statement.

Parents, welcome to your new hell.

Shoppers will be offered one character for every $30 they spend.

Woolies hopes the four-week promotion will claw back sales from Coles.

“We are really excited to be able to offer Australian families a small gift that captures the fun, imagination and festive spirit of the season with the Woolworths Christmas Pop-Outs.

“Christmas is all about spending quality time with family, friends and loved ones and this is a great way for everyone to get together to workshop, build and play with their favourite Christmas characters.

“We believe that kids, parents, grandparents and individuals will be captured by the wonder and imagination of the range and will find ways to make them their own this Christmas — whether that’s as a place card for the dining table or an additional festive ornament around the Christmas tree.

“Our team has also spent a great deal of time ensuring that we considered the environmental impact when putting this together and we are proud to say that the range is 100 per cent Aussie made and fully recyclable.”

Woolworths has previously enjoyed success with its animal cards and Marvel superhero discs collectable promotions. Chief executive Brad Banducci earlier this year admitted it was tough going without one when a competitor program like Little Shop was so successful.

“Were the numbers greater than we expected? Probably a little bit,” he told analysts in August. The supermarket this month reported first-quarter comparable sales growth of 1.8 per cent, compared with a whopping 5.1 per cent at Coles.

Unsurprisingly, Coles has indicated Little Shop will return in 2019. The program, run by marketing agency Unga, was credited with boosting sales of participating brands including White King and Messy Monkeys by up to 50 per cent.

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