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Aldi’s Kevin The Carrot to be sold via festival-style queuing system for 2020

The cuddly carrot flies off shelves every single year, and with the budget supermarket's festive advert (starring the orange plush toy) toppling 5.8 million views - 2020 is set to be no different.

The Manc The Manc - 11th November 2020
Aldi

Kevin The Carrot, Aldi’s wildly popular Christmas character, will be sold using the same queuing technology for festival and gig tickets this year.

The cuddly carrot flies off shelves every winter, and with the budget supermarket’s festive advert (starring the orange plush toy) toppling 5.8 million views – 2020 is set to be no different.

To cope with demand, Aldi is actually introducing the same digital queuing technology used for Glastonbury.

Kevin the Carrot and associated plush toys will be available on Aldi’s website from 8am on Sunday, November 15.

And, for the first time, he will also be ready to buy via Deliveroo.

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The toy range this year includes the new Pilot Kevin and friends like Wingman Turkey, Harry the Hedgehog, Grate Grandma and Grate Grandad.

These toys will cost £3.99 each or be available as a bundle for £19.95.

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A giant version of Kevin will set you back £19.99.

Head over to the Aldi website and keep your eyes peeled for more info on Kevin ahead of the big launch day…

News

Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Dog at the vets

Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.

After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.

The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.

It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.

Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.

Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.

They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.

Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.

Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere

There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.

The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.

The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.

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“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”

Featured Image – Pxhere

News

Police release footage of Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest by hiding under a bed

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Police have released unseen footage of a Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest and justice by hiding under a bed.

David Dale Thompson, of no fixed abode, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (18 March) where he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of residential burglary at an earlier hearing.

The 43-year-old was caught early last year (15 January 2025) following proactive patrols by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) neighbourhood officers across Rusholme and Moss Side, who were in the area due to a high number of reports of burglaries in the weeks prior.

While on patrol, police spotted Thompson ‘acting suspiciously’ while riding a bike just before 5pm, and once officer subsequently followed him to a property on Boscombe Street, before calling for more officers to attend.

After gaining entry to the address, officers suspected something was wrong when they entered one of the rooms, and after lifting up the bed, they found Thompson hiding in the storage compartment attempting to evade arrest.

GMP has now released footage of the moment Thompson was caught.

Speaking following Thompson’s sentencing last week, Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s Manchester Central Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “This was a fantastic example of proactive policing, which has resulted in a serial offender now behind bars.

“We know how devastating a burglary in your own home can be and this shows our commitment to tackling them head on.

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“If you have any information or concerns about neighbourhood crime in your area, make sure you speak to us. In the meantime, we have officers on regular patrols in areas that need us the most.”

Featured Image – GMP

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