Survey Says Fruitcake Is Worst Holiday Gift to Receive

    TARRYTOWN, NY, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- With holiday shopping days
 dwindling fast, it might be tempting to reach for that fruitcake.  Don't do
 it!   Nearly four out of five Americans say fruitcake is their least favorite
 holiday gift to receive.  A survey conducted last week by Harris Interactive
 and Tassimo(TM) Hot Beverage System, one of the year's hottest holiday gifts,
 also found that just two percent of Americans consider gift cards or gift
 certificates their least favorite gift.
     According to the survey, aunts, uncles and grandparents are most likely to
 give the least favorite holiday gifts, followed by in-laws, bosses and
 co-workers.  The survey had some good news for married couples, however,
 finding that spouses are least likely to give the worst gifts.
     Almost three out of five Americans surveyed say they wish they could
 return gifts without having to ask the giver for a gift receipt or store
 information, yet half of Americans surveyed keep gifts they dislike out of
 respect for the person who gave it to them.
     One in four people surveyed return gifts they dislike right way and nearly
 one in five re-gift them. Ironically, nearly one in five people surveyed
 believe some of the worst gifts they've received have been re-gifted to them.
     Women are more likely to re-gift than men. Nearly one in four women
 re-gift compared to less than one in five men.
     Those who would rather buy the perfect gift, rather than risk having their
 gift returned or re-gifted, should purchase the new Tassimo(TM) Hot Beverage
 System online at http://www.tassimo.com or at stores such as Macy's,
 Bloomingdales, Filenes and Marshall Field's as well as specialty retail
 locations including Linen's 'n Things and Bed Bath and Beyond. Tassimo sells
 for a suggested retail price of $169.99.
     And for those who live in, or are visiting New York City this holiday
 season, the news is even better.  The makers of Tassimo are offering free
 Tassimo Hot Beverage Systems to the first 300 people who show up with their
 worst holiday gifts at Bryant Park in New York City on Monday, Dec. 26
 starting at 8 a.m.
     "Tassimo is changing the way people prepare and enjoy hot beverages at
 home," said Lorraine Hansen, Tassimo Vice President. "At the touch of a
 button, Tassimo lets you make single servings of select brands of coffee, tea,
 cappuccino, espresso, lattes, hot chocolate and more in under a minute -- all
 with the same machine. It's like having your own coffeehouse at home."
     A dream machine for holiday entertaining and the perfect holiday gift,
 Tassimo's one-cup preparation ensures no mess, leftovers or delays associated
 with outdated brewing systems. Unlike other single-serve brewers, Tassimo uses
 real liquid milk to create the dense foam or frothy milk for cappuccinos and
 lattes, eliminating the need for a complicated steam wand or frothing
 attachment.
     The Tassimo system has two key components: the Tassimo brewing machine and
 proprietary Tassimo discs (T-DISCS). Through Tassimo's smart technology, the
 machine's microprocessor reads the barcode printed on the T-DISC label after
 it is inserted into the machine and automatically calculates the correct water
 quantity, brewing time and temperature to prepare the perfect beverage. All of
 the brewing happens inside the T-DISC. An inverse flow of filtered water
 guarantees optimal flavor with virtually no clean up or residue from
 previously made beverages.
     Providing a menu of delicious and favorite brands such as Gevalia(R)
 coffees, Twinings(R) teas and Suchard(TM) hot chocolate, each T-DISC(R)
 contains a precisely measured amount of coffee, tea, chocolate or real liquid
 milk and is sealed to protect the flavors inside.
     T-DISCS can be purchased where the machines are sold, with the suggested
 retail price ranging from approximately $6.49 - $9.99, depending upon the
 beverage type, package size and brand. The machine and the entire line of
 T-DISCS are also available for purchase online at tassimo.com and popular
 e-retail sites.
     The machine is made by Saeco International Group S.P.A., the largest
 independent manufacturer of espresso makers in the world. It adheres to the
 high quality standards of Braun who will distribute and service Tassimo. Braun
 is a division of the Gillette company and a worldwide leader in innovative,
 high-quality small domestic appliances.
 
     About Kraft Foods
     Kraft Foods markets many of the world's leading food brands, including
 Kraft(R) cheese, Nabisco(R) cookies and crackers, JELL-O(R) and Toblerone(R),
 in more than 150 countries.
 
     About Braun
     Germany-based Braun GmbH, a subsidiary of The Gillette Company,
 manufactures a wide variety of products that marry innovation, reliability and
 creative design, ranging from electric shavers to personal diagnostic
 appliances, and from oral care products and beauty products to household
 appliances. Braun products enjoy worldwide distribution.
 
     NOTE: Complete survey results and digital photo images of the products are
 available by contacting Mindy Carton of DVC Public Relations at 908-331-0663.
 
     Methodology
     Harris Interactive(R) fielded the study on behalf of Tassimo from
 December 16-20, 2005, via its QuickQuery(SM) online omnibus, interviewing a
 nationwide sample of 1,470 U.S. men and women aged 25-55 years. Data were
 weighted to reflect the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region,
 age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity
 to be online.
 
     About Harris Interactive(R)
     Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com), the 15th
 largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester,
 NY-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with
 innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application.
 Known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering Internet-based research
 methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help
 its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.
     Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital, databases and
 technology to advance market leadership through its U.S. offices and wholly
 owned subsidiaries, HI Europe in London (http://www.hieurope.com), Novatris in
 Paris (http://www.novatris.com), and through an independent global network of
 affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V.
     To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to
 participate in future online surveys, http://www.harrispollonline.com.
 
 

SOURCE  Tassimo