Woolworths shoppers’ act with the supermarket’s ‘free fruit for kids’ sparks outrage online

Woolworths customers have caused a stir online after claiming to treat themselves to the store’s ‘Free Fruit For Kids’ boxes.

In videos posted on TikTok, the adult shoppers happily grabbed the complimentary bananas, apples and mandarins and walked around the store when the free offering is only intended for children.

Both customers claim to eat the free fruit while walking around the store then leave without buying anything.  

Two adult Woolworths shoppers claim to eat the free fruit meant for kids then walk around the store and leave without purchasing anything. ‘Walking into Woolworths for the free fruit, pretending to shop whilst eating them and then leaving without buying anything,’ one man wrote and recorded himself eating the fruit

‘Walking into Woolworths for the free fruit, pretending to shop whilst eating them and then leaving without buying anything,’ one man wrote and recorded himself eating the fruit. 

In another video a woman exposed herself in footage posted online eating a banana at her local Woolworths store. 

‘Woolies employees watching me walk in, grab the free fruit for kids, walk around a bit then leave without buying anything,’ she wrote in the video.

In another video a woman exposed herself in footage posted online eating a banana in store. ‘Woolies employees watching me walk in, grab the free fruit for kids, walk around a bit then leave without buying anything,’ she wrote in the video

Both videos seemed to infuriate other TikTok users who criticised the shoppers. 

‘Those are for kids,’ one person wrote in the comments. 

Another added: ‘This is how good things will always come to an end, the idea is for kids to eat fruit not for cheap stakes taking advantage of the system’.

‘Tell me you’re poor without telling me you’re poor,’ a third wrote.  

Others deemed the act as ‘selfish’ from an adult as the baskets of fruit are intended to help parents with hungry children. 

‘Pretty selfish act you’re an adult earn your own money, buy your own fruit. They’re [bananas are] literally $3 a kg,’ another wrote.

The Woolworths ‘Free Fruit For Kids’ program started in 2015 and by April 2021 100 million free pieces of fruit were distributed.

Previously Woolworths General Manager of Fruit and Vegetables, Paul Turner said: ‘At Woolworths, we want to help kids get their recommended daily intake of fruit.

‘Providing Australian kids with more than 100 million pieces of free fruit is one of our largest community initiatives. It not only makes fresh fruit easily accessible for kids across Australia, but is helping build a healthier future for our country.’ 

100 per cent of the fruit given away is from local suppliers, like Mackay Bananas in Queensland and Montague Apples in Victoria.