Anger as goods ‘sent to landfill’

A ROW has erupted after a Dundee toy shop dumped “tonnes” of unopened goods into landfill following a fire at the store.

A Tayside charity worker was “horrified” after seeing skip hire workers at Toys R Us, taking apparently “undamaged” cots, bikes, car seats and toys away.

Melissa Hunter, 34, said she was upset the items were going to waste instead of being donated to families in need, and called out to the retail giant on social media.

However, a Toys R Us spokesman said the goods were smoke damaged and declared unfit for sale by the insurers.

Melissa said: “I was driving by and there was a company loading things into a skip. I asked why it was being put there, was it damaged?

“The guys said it wasn’t, but it was going to landfill – it was an insurance thing and Toys R Us had to dispose of it.

“Apparently six more skips were due to remove more things. There were loads of things like buggies, bikes, toys, all sorts.

“It was all in boxes and I was told there was literally tonnes of stuff. They were throwing away pretty much the entire contents of the shop.

“I was so angry – there are so many charities in Dundee collecting for families in poverty. It’s such a waste to just throw stuff away.”

A fire in the external part of the store on March 3 was investigated by police.

A Toys R Us spokesman said: “Some of our stock was damaged by smoke. The insurance company deemed it unfit for sale and have taken possession of that stock.”