At Large with Toby Manhire

From Ooshie-itis to Smeg-mania, supermarket promo fever grips NZ

Toby Manhire speaks to Alex Casey about the rise and rise of supermarket promotions in Aotearoa.

20 Aug 2026

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Whether it’s Woolworths’ little plastic Disney Ooshies or New World’s fancy Smeg knives, supermarket promotions have seeped into the national consciousness, prompting secondary markets and school bans. Alex Casey joins Toby to talk through the allure of these campaigns in a cost of living gloom, and to look back at some of the greatest and strangest supermarket promotions of the 21st century.
At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠.