Asking a parent about their experiences with a Coles or Woolworths collectibles range can invoke various responses, from fond smiles to irrepressible shudders to blank stares.
Some families embrace the challenge, happily locking into whichever retailer is offering the range their child most wants. This is normally decided by their school friendship group – a dose of peer pressure that comes with the ability to swap double-ups with fellow parents and commiserate when one or two remain elusive.
The modern-day supermarket collectibles frenzies can be traced back to 2013 when Woolworths released the Aussie Animals range of cards. There were 108 to collect, and activity albums to display them in.
This success was quickly followed by Baby Wildlife later that year, then Dreamworks Heroes in 2014.
Then, in 2018, Coles hit back with a game-changing collectibles range that would cement supermarket collectibles place in Australian culture.
