Couple given free cigarettes with Countdown groceries

  • 19/02/2018
Countdown is investigating how a couple were given free cigarettes with their groceries.
Countdown is investigating how a couple were given free cigarettes with their groceries. Photo credit: Newshub.

A couple are appalled after they were given free cigarettes with their Countdown groceries.

Robert and Katherine Kuper regularly use the supermarket's online ordering system, which delivers items to customers' doors.

They say they often receive complimentary items such as laundry powder or food. But their last order included something they didn't expect - a pack of 20 Freedom cigarettes.

"I thought it was quite concerning," Mr Kuper told Newshub. 

"If we were a smoking household it would probably just encourage us to smoke cigarettes, and also buy through Countdown's online shopping website."

He says he emailed the supermarket after receiving the groceries from Countdown Henderson on Sunday, but had not received a reply. 

Sally Copland, head of online at Countdown, says the cigarettes were not sent to the Kupers intentionally.

"This product was clearly provided by mistake as we would never intentionally provide age-restricted items as a sample," she told Newshub. 

"We will often provide free samples to our online customers as a trial, but these are always food or household products."

However Mr Kuper doesn't understand how the cigarettes could have been accidentally included with their groceries.

"I feel it wasn't a mistake because the cigarettes are usually in a locked cabinet at the supermarket, where they actually have to open it up and unlock it and put it into a shopping basket for us."

Ms Copland says Countdown is investigating the incident and will change the supermarket's processes to prevent any similar errors from happening in the future.

Newshub.