'70s Shreddies Sell For Packet

By John Stratford, 15th January 2012, 08:53

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A 40 year old packet of breakfast cereal discovered behind a shelf at a village shop has sold for more than £150 on eBay.

It's one of several boxes of Shreddies from the 1970s that have been found at Whitwell post office near Hitchin, Hertfordshire.  They were discovered when staff had to take down a row of shelves to recover an item that had fallen down the back.

They are thought to be from the '70s because there are Aristocats stickers inside and no expiry date on the box.  The Disney film 'The Aristocats' came out in 1970, and expiry dates were only introduced in 1980.

Norma Fears, (right) who runs the Whitwell Post Office, at first thought the Shreddies would make an ideal feed for a customer's chickens, but when they turned their beaks up, a customer suggested to try selling them on eBay.

"We were just chatting in the shop, when a customer who often uses eBay and posts his items from the store, said to give it a go on there," she said.

"When we saw the first bid at £36, we thought 'that's quite good' but then they sold for £158.98. I couldn't believe they went for that."

Norma and customer Dave King, who put the box online, plan to split the money made from the sales between Keech Hospice Care and Mencap. They still have another three boxes to be sold.

"We're not sure why they have gone for so much, but we think it's one of three things; either the stickers, the packaging or that they aren't opened," added Norma.

Would you bid for a packet of forty year old Shreddies on eBay?  Would you want to taste them?  Let us know by leaving a comment below.