Shoppers are reported to be scrambling to buy ‘Kevin the carrot’ soft toys featured in Aldi supermarket’s Christmas advert.
In the Aldi store in Mackintosh Drive in Ipswich this morning there were plenty of shoppers milling around where the Kevin toys were for sale, along with the wicked parsnip, Pascal.
In the TV ad, the ruthless Pascal is determined to make Kevin, his wife Katie and their three baby carrots a part of his own Christmas dinner.
Customers of the discount chain have taken to social media to complain that supplies of Kevin, his wife Katie and three baby carrots have run out, and yesterday, several people on Twitter complained that Aldi’s website had crashed before they were able to purchase the toys online.
According to the BBC, there have been reports of queues and even fights at Aldi stores.
An Aldi spokesman said demand for the toys had been “exceptionally” high.
This is the third iteration of Aldi’s Christmas advertising campaign featuring Kevin, although Pascal is a new introduction to the saga.
The ‘plush carrot kids’ were on sale in Aldi stores in Ipswich for £3.99 each, with a sign stating ‘maximum of two per customer.’
Last year, the toys were put on sale on eBay, with a price tag of £1,000, according to the Sun.
Peter Xavier was out shopping with his five-year-old son at Aldi in Mackintosh Drive on Wednesday morning, buying cuddly carrots for his two-year-old daughter.
“She keeps talking about baby carrots, so we thought - it’s a clever ploy, but also a good way to get kids more enthusiastic about vegetables,” he explains. “Although poor ‘wicked’ Pascal - demonising the parsnip is a bit harsh, I think!”
Mr Xavier said he was not interested in making the purchase in order to sell it off at a later date on ebay. “This is for the kids. They will probably ended up being handed on to a cousin or nephew.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here