Late-night shopping channel Ideal World TV has been slammed by viewers and accused of “cashing in” on the coronavirus panic.
According to one viewer, a segment featuring a presenter surrounded by toilet rolls was “shown directly on ITV just after midnight” on Sunday (March 15).
The host was seen flogging a large bundle by Cheeky Panda – a company which makes loo roll and tissues from bamboo.
In a time of supermarket stockpiling, the bundle included 40 toilet rolls, 20 kitchen towels, 10 facial tissues and 10 pocket tissues at a cost of £79.99.
The bundle had been reduced from £99.99 and a postage and packing charge of £2.99 would also be added to the order.
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Flexible payments could also be arranged by Ideal World TV, the show said.
While the brand is vegan-friendly and uses “100% Forest stewardship-approved bamboo” to save “forests worldwide and the thousands of animals that inhabit them”, telly viewers were less than impressed.
Shame on @IdealWorldTV for this. George this will infuriate you I suspect @georgegalloway pic.twitter.com/YJAmMfQy9D
— Mark Lawson (@QuotingMark) March 16, 2020
Some accused them of “cashing in” on the coronavirus pandemic, with one Facebook user stating: “Can’t believe they are actually selling toilet roll on those stupid late-night shopping shows!”
He added: “I mean, they’re bamboo but talk about cashing in!”
One follower replied: “Ridiculous.”
Over on Twitter, users were also up in arms, tweeting Ideal World TV messages of disgust.
One replied to a picture Jeremy Vine posted of a cartoon featuring an old lady in a supermarket surrounded by rows of empty shelves.
They said the cartoon “clearly” sends out the “right message”, unlike the TV show.
It clearly sends out the right message 👍
Unlike last night @IdealWorldTV showed directly on ITV just after midnight… pic.twitter.com/JvD3ud0TdY
— Ash Kennedy (@Ash_J_Kennedy) March 16, 2020
Another user said: “While you’ve all been asleep, the @idealworldtv night service on @itv has been trying to cash in on the national sense of panic by selling 40 loo rolls and some tissues for £80.”
Another added: “Talk about profiteering! Sickening to see @sallyjackstvmumon on @IdealWorldTV & @ITV pushing expensive bog roll at such a time! Is there no depths this company won’t sink to?”
While you’ve all been asleep, the @idealworldtv has been trying to cash in on the national sense of panic by selling 40 loo rolls and some tissues for £80.
A third added: “@IdealWorldTV @itv horrendously taking advantage of a sad situation by selling packs of toilet roll at ridiculously inflated prices. The presenter emphasising: ‘You don’t need to leave your home’ just shows which demographic they are making a special effort to rip off!”
Others said the company should be “ashamed of themselves”, while some called for a “boycott”.
@IdealWorldTV, talk about causing further panic buying at this anxious and stressful time for people, inappropriate #conronavirus pic.twitter.com/jXlhnrBarc
— bethanoc (@bethanoc1) March 16, 2020
ED! has contacted Ideal World TV for a comment, but reps did reply to the tweets with a statement.
It said: “Cheeky Panda launched with us on 19th Feb after months of planning. The price was with a promo of 20% off & the price was shown again on 11th March, it has been on our site during at the non-promo price. CP is bamboo based & not mass produced & demands a higher price.”
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