Free gift
In my groceries today I found a packet of Percy Pig sweets. ‘Made with real fruit juice’ is the claim on the front of the packet. They are vegan, and have ‘no artificial ingredients or flavourings’ (I quote from the Marks and Spencer website.)
All well and good. Free gifts are often to be welcomed.
I tried a couple. They had a pleasant enough texture, but no discernible, easily identifiable flavour.
They are definitely not something I would ever buy. ‘Something of nothing’ is my verdict. Perhaps others relish them and cannot have enough of them.
I wonder why they are being sent out as free gifts. Overstocked, maybe? I’ll never know.
Free gift? Aren’t all gifts free?
Not selling, perhaps. Get rid of them and gain some goodwill. They do look cute. My gifts aren't free. They are given with expectations.
ReplyDelete
DeleteAbout to go out of date, possibly.
They look cute though, maybe consumers are not buying it. That's why they gave it out as a free gift.
ReplyDeleteApparently Percy Pig has been around for thirty years - cashing in on Peppa Pig, perhaps.
DeleteSomeone had these at my recent pottery day - I didn't realize they had come all the way from UK and were treated as much treasured (i don't eat sweets - I'm a lucky one who hates how sugar makes my mouth feel).
ReplyDeleteYou didn't miss anything.
DeleteI don't eat sweets .. not keen on any of them .. so this freebie would have been donated to a young person if it came to me. The whole Peppa Pig craze seems a little weird too 🤫
ReplyDeleteI like chocolate, bu don't eat sweets.
DeleteChildren's snacks are bland, Molly and George often offer me a share of theirs, I always take one, knowing they like to share. Now in our day snacks were bright colours and full of artificial flavour.
ReplyDeleteThose were the days - bright and tasty - and probably bad for us!
DeleteThat one does look to be an interesting free gift. Personally I would rather have a very dark chocolate bar if someone wanted to really give me something good.
ReplyDeleteNot much chance of receiving one of those, I fear.
DeleteYes, “free” when added to “gift” is a real redundancy, isn’t it?
ReplyDeleteWord porridge!
DeleteThey're cute if nothing else. Every gift I've ever gotten has been free.
ReplyDeleteLikewise. 😁
DeleteThey do look really cute. Too bad they have no taste.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's me and they're actually delicious , , ,
DeleteThat is what I was thinking — free and gifts.
ReplyDeleteIt's a phrase so often seen and heard that we don't question the silliness of it.
DeleteI have never thought about 'Free gift' like that and now that's the only way I'll hear it.
ReplyDeleteGlad to be of service . . . 😁
DeleteSomething of nothing is a great description! More often than not, the manufacturer will do give aways to raise brand awareness.
ReplyDelete. . . oor get rid of stock rapidly approaching end date . . . or am I just being cynical?
DeleteMarketing is usually my guess if I get something unexpected with my groceries. (Or just a mistake...) I don't eat sweets like that any more so would be wasted on me, though!
ReplyDeleteThey were certainly wasted on me, and I shan't be recommending them, so I'm definitely a lost cause.
DeleteFree gift, well, just about better than a slap in the face I suppose, although I confess I'm a sugar and chocolate addict so would have been delighted 😂
ReplyDeleteToday Amazon has sent me a 'free' kiddies catalogue that they are trying to say is a fun booklet complete with stickers - you've never seen such rubbish, what a waste of resources, straight to recycling.
Alison in Devon x
Chocolate would have been much more acceptable . . . 😁
DeleteIt was nice of the store to include an extra.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to get something free.
DeleteThat free gift is enticement. I imagine that this is something that would appeal to children, and the natural ingredients appeal to parents.
ReplyDeleteRight on both counts.
DeleteFree is good
ReplyDeleteDefinitely!
DeleteYes, if it's a gift, it's free - otherwise it isn't a gift, right?
ReplyDeleteJust catching up with blogs after a busy week, and your recent posts (the silly answers) made me laugh. Good reminder about Christmas crackers; I don't think I have very many left for this year's "Rubbish Santa" with my girl friends.
Christmas crackers seem to increase in price every year . . . still, is there anything that doesn't?
DeleteI like the little pig heads, that's it. I don't know that brand.
ReplyDeleteYou know Marks and Spencer, surely?
DeleteHi Janice - I can only think of Boris ... unenlightening thought! I'd be worried re 'free' ... but sometimes ok ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteOh, dear - Boris . . .
DeleteI bet they look better than they taste! xxx
ReplyDeleteThey definitely do.
DeleteWell, Percy Pig would not be a very attractive name so they may not be selling no matter how good they are.
ReplyDeleteI think they were a way of cashing in on the Peppa Pig craze of a few years ago, but maybe Peppa Pig didn't make it out of UK, so would be unfamiliar to you.
DeleteSometimes even the sweetest gifts leave one wondering more about the marketing than the taste itself
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteI would guess they were given out because they weren't selling so well on the website. Perhaps some people would really like them, and the free gift would inspire people to take a look at the Marks & Spencer website and perhaps order MORE of them or OTHER things!
ReplyDeleteAny or all of those suggestions would seem likely.
DeleteWell ... they do look cute, not something I'd buy or eat!
ReplyDeleteNow, if it had been a Swiss truffle or a Belgian chocolate ... yum!
All the best Jan
I agree - chocolate every time . . . the good stuff!
DeleteThe piggies are cute. Some gifts come with strings attached
ReplyDeleteAs incentives to buy, they didn't work.
DeleteI guess it's good sweets these days are made with far less sugar and flavour, kids aren't so likely to become addicted, but when they are so bland as these why bother buying them at all? So they sit on the shelves and eventually get added as gifts in hopes of people starting to buy them again? I have a sugar addiction myself and I have managed to cut back, but it is VERY hard.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine children enjoying these - I shall have to enquire among the youngest generation.
DeleteI like Percy Pigs but I wouldn't choose them over many other sweets! Wou;dn't say no to a freebie though!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's interesting. They must be an acquired taste (though not one I shall be acquiring.)
DeleteMy latest free gift was a pair of trainer socks. Arrived unexpectedly through the post with the catalogue... am still suspicious!
ReplyDeleteThat's a strange free gift. Did they come with a pair of trainers?
DeleteThey’re cute.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly look it.
DeleteI suspect they either weren't selling, or they had just been introduced. I think the former is more likely.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
Delete'free gift' is often 'trying to get rid of leftovers' Or 'sign up for something that will cost a lot and we'll give you a piece of mass produced cheap tat that is designed to look fancy'
ReplyDeleteI miss Marriners Yarns. Not only did they sell extremely cheap yarn but they included a tiny pack of haribo in every parcel which my son greatly appreciated. That was the best free gift.
I like it when companies do that. It makes it far more likely that the customer will return.
Deletemaybe they are dog treats? left over Halloween candy?
ReplyDeleteNo, definitely for people, usually small people.
DeleteThey do look cute but I don't really eat many sweets these days unless they are chocolate. I don't think they will be on my M&S shopping list.
ReplyDeleteThey were not to my taste,. but I'd always much rather have chocolate. 😁
ReplyDelete