Blogger slammed over 'disgustingly overpriced' $87 advent calendar

A beauty blogger has been slammed online for releasing an $87 advent calendar for Christmas full of “cheap tat”.

The 26-year-old, who has over 11.2 million followers on social media and over 12 million subscribers on YouTube, has been relentlessly trolled by people “disgusted” by the product.

The calendar, which is called the ‘Zoella 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar’ is being sold at UK shop Boots for $87 (£50) and contains a cookie cutter, a key ring and a pen.

Also included behind the 12 doors of the calendar is a 130g candle, confetti, a bauble, 30ml room spray, a jotter pad and stickers.

People took to the Boots website to slam the product and Zoella for “getting away with selling this rubbish”.

“It’s so much cheap tat and 2 candles. Riveting. I want my money back,” one person said.

“Wouldn’t even pay a fiver for it, absolutely shocking,” another person said.

“Can’t believe they are getting away with selling this rubbish!,” a commenter said.

Since then, Boots has reduced the product price by half and said the price of the advent calendar was set by the manufacturer or the supplier.

Taking to her YouTube channel, Zoella defended the part she played in creating the product and claimed it was up to Boots to decide how much they charged for it.

“I don't have the right to make those decisions,” she said through tears in the video, which can be viewed above.

“I feel just as let down by this also. The price of any product is up to a retailer.

“I know that there are some of you who might not have known that – even my mum didn't realise that.

“I don't want people to think that I'm, like, sat at home, like, counting 50 pounds every time someone buys this calendar thinking that was a conscious decision that I made to rip people off.”

With all the controversy surrounding the advent calendar, Poundland has come out with a rival calendar for just $1.70 (£1).

The calendar features almost identical items to those available in Zoella’s version, including a candle, pens and stickers.

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