The plush toys of the stars of Aldi’s 2021 Christmas advert officially go on sale in store and online from today.
And, as they seem to do every year, people are already queueing to buy them.
Festive shoppers keen to get their hands on the cuddly toys have been taking to social media this morning to share their place in the online queue, with many reporting that they have been placed in a queue with more than 60,000 people ahead of them.
A message on the Aldi website holding page reads: “We’re very sorry, but there are currently lots of people trying to access the Aldi website. We’ve automatically placed you in a queue, but don’t worry about refreshing – this page will update automatically as you enter the site.”
“There are 30,000 people queuing to access Aldi’s website to buy soft toys,” one Twitter user wrote.
“Ahhh the annual Aldi waiting in an online queue, it’s almost as traditional as mince pies and sprouts,” another tweet read.
In-person queues outside Aldi stores this morning have also been reported around the UK too.
The budget supermarket retailer has certainly become known for its Christmas adverts starring everyone’s favourite character ‘Kevin the Carrot’ in recent years, and this year, it’s absolutely no different, as the release of the 2021 edition earlier this month went on to amass millions of views and thousands of comments and interactions.
If you’ve not seen the advert yet, it’s a take on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol – renamed ‘A Christmas Carrot by Charles Chickens’ – and it features various different and excellently-named, festive food-themed characters.
Characters starring in the advert include its lead ‘Ebanana Scrooge’, ‘Marcus Radishford’, ‘Peas & Goodwill’, ‘Tiny Tom’.
Kevin the Carrot himself also took on the role of ‘the Spirit of Christmas’.
The story follows the Christmas-loathing Ebanana, who is reminded of the joys of the festive season by the Spirit of Christmas until he eventually realises the positives of Christmas, and goes around spreading goodwill.
The plush toys of the stars of Aldi’s 2021 Christmas advert officially go on sale in store and online from today / Credit: Aldi UK & Ireland
The plush toys of each of the advert’s characters are priced at £3.99 each.
As well as all the characters from the Christmas advert, Aldi has also announced that a plush toy version of its famous and much-loved ‘Cuthbert the Caterpiller’ – who many will remember grabbed headlines after being embroiled in a legal battle earlier this year – will also be available to buy in store and online.
This year, Aldi has partnered with award-winning giving platform Neighbourly – which helps businesses make a positive impact in their communities by donating volunteer time, money, and surplus products, all in one place.
The retailer will donate 1.8 million meals to families in need this Christmas.
During Ebanana and the Spirit of Christmas’s whistle-stop tour, they encounter a smiley red radish named Marcus Radishford / Credit: Aldi UK & Ireland
Sean McGinty – Marketing Director at Aldi UK – added: “Christmas is a time for hope, and we’re privileged to be working with Marcus, who is one of the most inspirational young people in the UK, having done so much in the past 18 months to help provide free school meals for children.”
“We hope our campaign will remind everyone of the true meaning of Christmas,” he added.
Steve Butterworth – Chief Executive at Neighbourly – said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Aldi in their year-round food redistribution programme and in their commitment to donate 1.8 million meals this Christmas.
“These donations will help a record number of families across the UK during what is expected to be the busiest year on record for local charities and causes.”
You can watch the 2021 Aldi Christmas advert in full here.
Opening date for Britain’s first standalone Primark Home store in Manchester announced
Emily Sergeant
The opening date of Britain’s first standalone Primark Home store here in Manchester has been announced.
In case you hadn’t heard, it was announced earlier last month that our region had been chosen as the first place to get a dedicated Primark Home store.
Following the opening of its debut Home location in Belfast, Primark went on to confirm that the home of its first ever Great Britain site will be here in Greater Manchester – arriving at the popular Trafford Palazzo this summer.
The 11,900 sq ft, two-floor store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof.
Manchester shoppers can discover an expanded range of homeware and lifestyle essentials to give their home the glow-up it deserves, including high-quality essentials like cotton bedding and towels, soft furnishings, small furniture, and quirky ceramics.
The new store will feature Primark’s recently-launched ‘Edit’ – an elevated collection of home products such as chic tableware, plush towels, and luxury home fragrances.
It will also include a dedicated Travel Shop to help customers get holiday-ready all year round, with a range of stylish and practical travel essentials.
Primark is opening its first dedicated Home store in Manchester this summer / Credit: Primark Corporate
The addition of the new Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo doesn’t mean that any of the other Primark shops across Greater Manchester will be going anywhere though, so shoppers can still continue to get their Primark fix at the main Trafford Palazzo store, as well as on Market Street in Manchester city centre, and right through to the boroughs in places like Bolton, Oldham, Bury, and Wigan.
“The opening of Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo is an incredibly exciting moment for us,” commented Mark Whittaker, who is the Managing Director at Peel Retail and Leisure.
“Not only because we are the first destination in Great Britain to do so, but the opening is going to be adding a leading concept to our already unique mixture of immersive shopping and leisure experiences.
“Primark Home will have something for everyone, and we look forward to the store opening in summer.”
The store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof / Credit: Primark Corporate
Ceara Doyle, who is the Store Manager at Primark Trafford Palazzo, added: “It’s incredibly exciting to be bringing the Primark Home concept to Trafford, and I know there’s already lots of anticipation locally for opening day.
“We’re busy working behind the scenes to bring the new space to life, alongside a refresh of our main Trafford store, and we can’t wait to welcome shoppers through the doors.”
Primark Home store will officially be opening down at Trafford Palazzo on Friday 29 August, and launch day plans are set to be announced it due course so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Primark Corporate
Shopping
Cult favourite clothing brand Clints has dropped the lineup for the first-ever music festival
Danny Jones
Popular Manchester street and footwear brand, Clints Inc., has now revealed the lineup for its first-ever music and culture festival to mark five whole years in fashion – and it’s looking big.
The highly sought-after clothing and sneaker make started out from a bedroom in Moston and is now a premium label in British urban, skating, UK grime and hip-hop culture, having been worn by many famous names and welcoming even more through the door of their Deansgate shop.
Located in the ABC Buildings on Quay Street next to Spinningfields, the flagship Clints store opened back in 2022 and is much more than a place to buy some new drip: it’s a place that showcases art, music, and a whole sub-sect of shopping beyond just skate silhouettes and trendy trainers.
As hack as it might sound to some, wearing this brand comes along with immersing yourself in the wider style and scene; the very same scene being celebrated in tandem with their fifth birthday.
Up until recently, details were still scarce, but now the debut Clints Fest lineup has dropped, and there are some big names on board.
Set to take place at Barton Aerodrome, a.k.a. City Airport, over in Eccles, the live performers confirmed for 2025 span multiple genres, spotlighting both music veterans and up-and-coming artists from all over.
Legendary DJ, producer and MC Mike Skinner – most famously for his music with The Streets – tops the bill, alongside Tottenham-born rapper and grime artist, Chip (formerly known as ‘Chipmunk’).
There’s plenty of local love on show too, with Manchester R’n’B, jazz and soul singer, Victoria Jane, also set to perform, among many other acts from around the region and beyond.
Other names include the equally soulful hip-hop and rap star, Kofi Stone, as well as fellow Manc and rising DJ, Sammy V, plus plenty more.
On the launch of the event, Founder Junior Clint said: “We’ve built Clints on the back of our supporters embracing the DIY spirit. This festival is the ultimate expression of that ethos. Housing both music legends with upcoming artists is our ambition with Clints Fest, and we can’t wait to deliver it.”
Clints Fest (the inaugural one, at that) will take place on Saturday, 6 September, over in the Salford suburb of Barton-upon-Irwell, kicking off from 12pm and wrapping up around 10:30pm.
You can expect the festival to be packed to the rafters with die-hard followers of all things Clints and streetwear; here’s hoping this is just the first of many.
While the pre-sale and the first phase window for early access have both fully sold out, the second phase has now gone live, with general admission tickets available from £45.
Emily Sergeant -
25th November 2021 
