Trunki 'boost' for The Apprentice
Last night, Lord Sugar’s search for a new business partner took an export turn as one of the teams showcased the ingenious BoostApak from Trunki - a backpack-come-car booster seat – in a task that saw candidates test their selling skills in France.
In fact both sets of contestants chose the BoostApak but ultimately Team Logic disastrously decided to ditch it after some ad-hoc market research among passers-by.
What they should have known was that the multi-award winning product sold out within four hours of being released back in 2010. Certainly, major French retailer, La Redoute, could see the potential and expressed a genuine interest in BoostApak placing a provisional order for no less than €214,000. The largest order to ever grace the Apprentice boardroom. Lord Sugar himself said it was a great product, and father of one Dara O’Briain referred to the product as ‘genius’ on You’re Fired.
BoostApak (RRP £44.99) blends from booster seat to backpack in two easy steps by lifting up the front panel of the rucksack to form the backrest and then pushing out the unique patented green side panels to form the seatbelt guides. The BoostApak is a universal child restraint and certified to regulation ECE R44.04 for group two and three, suitable for children aged between 4–12 years.
Safety First
With the law requiring all children under 12 years old or 135cm in height to use a booster seat, this vital piece of kit has become the symbol of the family car. What’s more, as both a safety necessity and legal requirement, it’s essential to have one to hand at all times.
Research* has shown that there is confusion surrounding booster seat laws with over 25% of parents unsure of what booster seat their child should be using. Furthermore, 56% of parents who share school run duties have admitted to giving another child a lift home without using a booster seat!
Forty per cent of travellers take their own booster seat with them and face airline charges of up to £28 per booster seat in the hold. Thirty five per cent choose the alternative and hire a car seat on arrival, which can be hit and miss. Families can also expect to be charged up to £50 per week for hiring a booster seat. The other 25% of travellers don’t make any booster seat arrangements and risk breaking the law as well as their child’s safety. BoostApak eliminates all this hassle as it can be filled with all your travel essentials and simply carried on as hand luggage.
“With the Summer season now upon us, families travelling abroad and using hire car facilities should be mindful of hidden charges, and booster seats seem to be the latest focus," says Rob Law, the designer behind BoostApak. "Forgetting a booster seat may prove both expensive and illegal. Car hire companies are penalising parents with extortionate and inconsistent charges.
“When we began researching booster seats we heard some dreadful stories from families who, when collecting their pre booked car and seat, found either the seat missing with no alternative or the condition was so poor and filthy they questioned the safety of the seat.”
www.trunki.com
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