Woman wants bananas removed from free fruit scheme after supermarket slip

Rose Kerr wants an end to free bananas in supermarkets after she slipped and fell on a banana in The Palms' Countdown supermarket. Photo / Star Media via Otago Daily Times

Rose Kerr wants supermarkets to stop offering free bananas to kids.

The 66-year-old believes the fruit is "horrendously dangerous" when given to children who may drop them in the aisle.

She has bruises to prove it after slipping on a smashed banana at Countdown in The Palms.

However, Countdown does not plan to alter its popular Free Fruit for Kids programme.

Kerr was pushing her shopping cart along when she took a sudden tumble that left her on the floor calling for help.

"My cart went one way and I went another, falling hard on the ground," Kerr said.

"I think I hit my head as I can't remember anything much after my fall."

Two staff members helped her to her feet.

Kerr declined offers of medical assistance but had a sore leg for two days afterward.

She believed the smashed banana had been discarded by a child, based on what staff told her, she said.

An older person could break their hip in a similar situation, she said.

"I just want the bananas out of the kids' free fruit as it's dangerous [for] health and safety."

A Countdown spokesperson said the duty managers would be doing floor checks every 30 minutes in the produce area to check for fruit litter in addition to standard hazard and cleaning protocols.

"We do provide bins in the store for fruit peel and would remind parents to keep an eye on their littlies when they are enjoying the free fruit."