Why no more free gifts?

Probably a Health and Safety issue?

Yes I think the elf issue would be the likely reason.

I remember free gifts being posted through the letter box when
I was little exciting! … Eg new brands of shampoo in sachets. … and all sorts of stuff.

And magazines such as Woman’s Weekly had knitting and crochet “gizmos” cello- taped to the front covers, sometimes it was culinary related.
Washing up liquid gave away little porcelain dogs, we had a collection.
Another one I remember was model vintage cars and aeroplanes.
Then there were those “send us so many of the cut out coupons on the cereal packets and get a toy.
I had the Kelloggs Kelly Doll, she wore a red gingham dress and it came with a little book of knitting patterns for her. 🥹

Lakeland alway gave a free gift- not anymore 😔

Were lots of them plastic? Maybe it is an environmental issue.

It was more a case of the risk of the “gift” being swallowed as they were placed inside the inner container. Plus you had to wait ‘til the packet was empty or rummage through it🤣

theworriedwell

Were lots of them plastic? Maybe it is an environmental issue.

Received some useful items, cling film dispenser which hopefully should last a lifetime 😊

Mt61

theworriedwell

Were lots of them plastic? Maybe it is an environmental issue.

Received some useful items, cling film dispenser which hopefully should last a lifetime 😊

Oh I was thinking of little toys that used to be in some, I've never had anything useful. Was the cling film dispenser in the packet of cereal or was it something you had to send for, I think they did do that as well but I've never sent for anything. Actually we've never eaten much cereal so I might have missed some great stuff.

I was remembering the other day, the fleet of little grey navy ships which I played with so much. Courtesy of Kelloggs Corn Flakes.

Yes, thankfully no more single use plastic tat!

Perhaps modern kids expect more than a cheap plastic thingummy (and most of them are probably at least vaguely aware of plastic junk being - well, junk). Also, I think most parents are probably more aware of marketing ploys now, so a toy in a cereal box doesn't influence their shopping decisions quite as much as they did years ago. I remember my son being crazy about Smurfs in the 1970s (which my DH "earned" by buying a certain amount of petrol - and later my mother was convinced she was getting bits of crockery as a "free gift" in the same way). But nothing is free, people - "greed marketing" influences us to spend money on whatever it is they want to flog us this week. That's all it ever was.

Sloppy use of parentheses, sorry.

Granmarderby10

Yes I think the elf issue would be the likely reason.

I remember free gifts being posted through the letter box when
I was little exciting! … Eg new brands of shampoo in sachets. … and all sorts of stuff.

And magazines such as Woman’s Weekly had knitting and crochet “gizmos” cello- taped to the front covers, sometimes it was culinary related.
Washing up liquid gave away little porcelain dogs, we had a collection.
Another one I remember was model vintage cars and aeroplanes.
Then there were those “send us so many of the cut out coupons on the cereal packets and get a toy.
I had the Kelloggs Kelly Doll, she wore a red gingham dress and it came with a little book of knitting patterns for her. 🥹

I used to collect the cars and vans. I used to display them on a shelf in the dining room. Then they got shipped off to the attic and might still be there. Must check that when it’s warmer.

I remember my brothers and I taking turns to have the toy.The joy one day when about nine toys came out the same packet of Rice Krispies!

Due to the mileage my Dad did with his job, we had dozens but it seemed far more of crystal glasses. He even got a carriage clock which went with me when I bought my first flat. I think I had to take some of the wine glasses as part of the deal

Until the 1980s I wasn’t aware of any other breakfast cereals that weren’t the big name brands. In Uk I mean

I bought one of the early "healthy" breakfast cereals possibly called 8 to 1. - in the early 1980s.

You collected tokens and sent away for tree seedlings.
We received 6.
2 trees are still going strong.
An unusual maple tree, about 30ft high
A Cyprus Leylandii yes I know
now enormous. About 50ft

Is it an urban legend or did Womans Weekly have an article. Knit a little Dutch cap?😨

Aww yes I remember fondly the freebies in the cereal boxes.

Re the free gifts on the front of magazines, not sure if these have disappeared because of health and safety or simply because so many of the gifts were stolen off the front without buying the magazine?

Susan 56.Wow 9 toys. Couldn't have had many cornflakes in there

Does anyone remember the free plastic records that would come through the mail, as I recall it would play if put it on top of a regular 45. Not sure why these were sent out but I loved getting them.

Whingey

Is it an urban legend or did Womans Weekly have an article. Knit a little Dutch cap?😨

😂🤣😅

Whingey

Is it an urban legend or did Womans Weekly have an article. Knit a little Dutch cap?😨

There was a joke at one time along the lines of one up market magazine would tell what an orgasm was another up market magazine would tell you how to get one and Woman’s Weekly would tell you how to knit one.

Does anyone remember the little plastic submarine with a hole in the top that you filled with baking powder to make it dive when the baking powder fizzed , it was in Kellogg cereals am sure

An end to plastic rubbish! Hopefully!