This month’s Non-toy ad Tuesday features French food and drink adverts that offered free gifts with their products as part of a special promotion or sales drive. Goodies ranged from stickers and transfers to mini-books and stencils and even some toy soldiers hiding in the bottom of packets of pasta!

Back in the 70s and 80s it was fairly common to find cool, interesting and collectable toys inside products – especially cereals. These days you’ll be lucky to find anything other than a packet of stickers or transfers. But maybe I’m wrong and you know of some cool toys offered recently? In France there are still some interesting offers to save tokens and send off for free stuff… but I really miss those days of finding cool things in my cereals.

What’s on offer: Tintin stickers with promotional boxes of Tintin cheese. 1978.

What’s on offer: Six Astérix mini-books from promotional jars of Nutella. 1976.

What’s on offer: mini jigsaw puzzles with promotional packs of Mousline instant potato granules. 1979.

What’s on offer: receive free stickers with promotional cartons of Nesquik. 1979.

What’s on offer: collect free soldiers and cowboy and Indians figures with promotionam packs of Floraline pasta. 1979.

What’s on offer: Tarzan character stencils from promotional jars of Nutella. 1977.

What’s on offer: Ulysse 31 mini album from promotional boxes of Tonimalt. 1983.