Countdown building on collectable craze with recycled plastic bricks

Wednesday, 3 November 2021

Countdown is bringing out the big guns in the battle of the supermarket promotions, launching a range of collectable bricks.

From Friday, customers will earn one pack of Countdown Bricks for every $30 spent in-store or online.

The bricks are compatible with Lego and can be used to build an environmentally-friendly supermarket, complete with aisles of shopping, electric delivery trucks and solar panels.

Countdown brand director Sally Copland​ said using sustainably sourced materials was a non-negotiable in developing the bricks.

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Made from 80 per cent recycled plastic, including from fridges, swimming goggles and suitcases, the bricks are certified by Environmental Choice New Zealand (ECNZ).

The plastic from just one used fridge could be made into 600 bricks, and more than 150,000 sets of old swimming goggles had been transformed into windows and doors, Copland said.

The bricks are the latest in a string of supermarket collectables giveaways aimed at children, including Countdown’s TV and film character themed dominoes and trading cards.

Competitor New World has also run several campaigns, including Little Shop, Little Kitchen and Little Garden.

Bodo Lang, head of marketing at the University of Auckland's Business School, previously told Stuff there was typically a market share shift of 1 per cent during such promotions.

'That sounds like nothing to you and me, but usually people are very loyal to the shop closest to them.'

A temporary promotion could push them to try a different shop and the hope would be that some would make the change permanently, he said.

There are 40 Countdown Brick packs to collect until 19 December or while stocks last. Customers who don’t want to collect can donate unwanted bricks to Oranga Tamariki through marked boxes in store, Copland said.