Spar has launched a UK-wide marketing campaign fronted by Mr Motivator as it looks to drive footfall, increase visit frequency and reinforce its role within local communities.

The ‘Fuel Your Spring’ campaign, which went live today, centres on a month-long in-store activation designed to encourage smaller, more frequent shopping trips.

At the heart of the campaign is the ‘Step to Spar’ challenge, running until 20 April, which incentivises shoppers to walk to their local store. Customers can collect stamps each time they visit on foot, unlocking in-store rewards and entry into a prize draw to win one of 10 £1,000 prizes.

Spar said the campaign is designed to help retailers convert footfall into incremental spend, particularly by driving repeat visits over the campaign period.

Supporting the strategy is consumer insight commissioned by Spar, which found that 84 per cent of shoppers said a short walk improves their mood, while 71 per cent said they would be more likely to walk to local shops if it supported their wellbeing.

The campaign was launched with a community walk in Birmingham, near AF Blakemore’s Willenhall headquarters, positioning the activity as both a marketing initiative and a community engagement play.

Spar is also leaning into the time-saving benefits of convenience, stating that a typical convenience shop can save customers more than 20 minutes compared with a supermarket visit.

CJ Antal-Smith, chief commercial officer at AF Blakemore (Spar’s parent company), said: “This is about making movement simple and achievable for everyone and our stores are perfectly placed to support that.

“Spar is part of everyday life in communities across the UK, and this initiative shows how convenience retail can play a meaningful role in wellbeing, movement and local connection.

“The Step to Spar Challenge is a great way to reward shoppers for choosing local.”

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