A Sheffield mum has filled a Celebrations tub with Bountys to surprise her son who was devastated after it was announced the chocolates were going to be scrapped.
Katie Hutton, 41, said her six-year-old son, Alex, sobbed when he heard the coconut treats were being removed as part of a trial in the run-up to Christmas.
She took to social media to ask locals if they had any of the coconut-flavoured treats that they did not want and was staggered by the number of generous offers.
“My initial plan was to say that Santa had made him a special box, but the response has been so heartwarming that it would be nicer to tell him how lots of people came together to give him their Bounties,” Mrs Hutton said.
“Everyone’s generosity is the magical spirit of Christmas itself.”
The mum-of-one has amassed over 75 of the chocolates from across Nether Edge this week, and wanted to celebrate the community’s kindness as part of the Christmas surprise for her son.
Mrs Hutton, an architect, said: “I was taken aback by the response, it was really heartwarming.
“I did offer to pay for them, or swap them for other chocolates, but so far everybody has insisted on leaving them out on their doorstep in a little bag for me to collect.”
Confectionery giant Mars Wrigley announced last month “No Bounty” Celebrations tubs would be available from select Tesco stores between 8 November and 18 December.
According to a survey by the company, as many as 39 percent of Brits are in favour of the controversial chocolate being axed for good.
The trial follows the company’s “Bounty return scheme” in 2021, during which the public could return and swap them for the popular Maltesers chocolates.
Online sellers have been cashing in on the announcement, with bundles of 150 of the coconut chocolates appearing on Ebay for over £20.
Mrs Hutton explained Alex will not have any competition when he opens his present on Christmas Day, as the rest of the family are Bounty haters.
She said: “Both my husband and myself really don’t like them.
“Before we had Alex, I used to take all the Bounties out and give them to a friend at work. It used to annoy us that they were in the way.”
