The Disney Ooshies craze is over - but at what cost to Kiwi shoppers?

Author: Herald Reporters,
Publish Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2026, 3:06pm

Another supermarket collectable craze is over – but at what cost to Kiwi consumers who chased Woolworths’ popular Disney Ooshies?

The average shopper would have needed to spend a minimum of $1200 to collect all 40 in the set.

But that’s not accounting for the random nature of Ooshies or the likelihood of people spending more than needed to reach a $30 threshold to earn another collectable.

“Without a doubt we know these minimum spend [promotions] definitely drive people to an additional item,” retail expert Chris Wilkinson said.

“It really makes people think about what they’re buying or drives them down the track of certain products where there’s bonus gifts or stickers.”

Yesterday, Woolworths reported a major sales boost for the first eight weeks of the 2027 financial year, thanks in part to the Disney Ooshies campaign.

New Zealand sales increased 4.2% in the eight weeks since the start of July, while Australian sales rose 7.6%.

Wilkinson said while the Foodstuffs’ Smeg knives promotion was being driven by adults, the Disney Ooshies had a following across a wider range of age groups.

But he said it also had an element of escapism to it.

“Escapist themes are very successful for business,” Wilkinson said.

“The world is pretty confronting out there at the moment and although it seems a bit crazy, its being able to immerse yourself in those simple pleasures and perhaps a bit of a hark back to when you were young.

“It’s just a bit of fun. People are really hanging out for fun.

“I think potentially it may have surprised some. It’s potentially hooked some people that wouldn’t have necessarily been candidates for that in the beginning.”

Wilkinson noted the role of celebrities getting behind the craze, pointing to rugby star TJ Perenara as one example.

“It’s probably quite a good example of how social media’s driven some of this stuff as well,” he said.

Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking supermarkets have a lot of levels to pull in a competitive environment.

“The big players have worked out these things help them,” he said.

“This is where consumers need to start taking a good look and saying well what do I want – do I want a fair price or do I want free stuff?”

It comes amid persistent cost of living pressures for many Kiwis, including food prices.

“The average consumer that is struggling isn’t going to go off to free stuff. The average consumer that struggles is looking at the price [of food products].”