Bunnings denies ties to Pete Evans

Hardware heavyweight Bunnings Warehouse has issued a statement denying it is currently paying celebrity chef Pete Evans to endorse its brand.

The denial comes after after he appeared in a Facebook Live video stream wearing a Bunnings baseball cap.

“Pete Evans is not a paid ambassador for Bunnings,” the retail giant tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

Less than a week ago, a Roy Morgan poll found that Bunnings is currently the most trusted brand in Australia.

A number of viewers had weighed in on Evans’ video with questions and comments about his decision to wear the hat.

Pete Evans denies Bunnings ties

So many, in fact, that Evans himself felt compelled to address the question of whether he may be receiving sponsorship from the hardware giant.

“No, I’m not sponsored by Bunnings,” he explained in the video, pointing to his hat.

The paleo and keto diet advocate did go on to explain that Bunnings had been on his mind recently.

“I was writing about them yesterday in a new cook book that I’m releasing,” he said.

“I was writing a recipe about sausages, and it came to mind as I was writing – how clever is Bunnings, putting sausages out there so everyone can smell it?”

Pete went on to discuss the power of aromas to change mood.

“Some stores spray essential oils or have some incense burning, or whatever it may be to entice the customers in and create a frame of emotional congruency,” he said.

“Whatever it may be, their intention.

“And we can do this on a day-to-day basis, we can use our own essential oils and incense – I’ve actually just lit some incense, just before – to create or help create a mood for us.

“You know, if you’re feeling anxious then this essential oil, or this incense stick or this music may help to change the way that we’re perceiving the world at that particular point in time. If we have anxiety or unease in us, we have all these wonderful tools that we can draw from, you know?

“Recently I was fined for talking about one of these tools, that work on vibrational frequency.”

While the pivot from Bunnings sausages to referencing the $25k fine he copped over unsubstantiated claims that an alternative medicine device could treat coronavirus may have left some with whiplash, Pete did clearly make the point that he and Bunnings share no official affiliation.

Bunnings podcast

Bunnings presently has a number of experts on its books, however.

“Currently we’re working with D.I.Y. enthusiasts and subject matter experts (interior stylists, gardeners, storage experts etc) to help bring to life some of our initiatives,” a spokesperson tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

“Including our D.I.Y. Live Series on Instagram and our gardening podcast Staying Grounded, which is available via the Apple Podcasts and The Podcast App.”

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