// Co-op has ditched its Christmas advert this year to focus on a food bank project.
// Instead, Co-op will pump its ad campaign cash into the Your Local Pantry network to help Brits this winter
The Co-op has decided to ditch its Christmas advert for 2022 in a bid to instead raise awareness on community food projects as inflation soars to a 40-year high.
The supermarket is pumping its ad campaign cash into a network of Your Local Pantry shops – the membership-based food scheme and community hub where Brits can pick up food at a discount.
As part of the collaboration, TV Chef and Rapper Big Zuu will bring the Local Peckham Pantry community together, to host a live cookalong, with special guests, members and volunteers
Chef, Presenter and Author, Miguel Barclay will also join Zuu to share useful tips and tricks to make groceries go further in a unique live stream broadcasted across Big Zuu’s Instagram at 7pm
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By not spending multi-millions on TV advertising this Christmas Co-op is instead channelling funds into wider cost of living support for its colleagues, members customers and communities.
Co-op chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq said: “Whilst many of our competitors are also adapting their Christmas ads to reflect the mood of the nation in a cost of living crisis, we are going further by pulling our ad altogether,”
“In doing so we will be shining a light on the need to support vital community causes, throughout the year and not just at Christmas, especially with a deep recession looming.”
“Our unique Co-op membership continues to drive our thinking and through our members incredible support, we are able to channel our resources and make local differences in ways no others can match. Through their ongoing commitment we can make society fairer and more co-operative.”
Big Zuu added: “Everyone deserves access to great quality food at affordable prices.
“I hope that by visiting the Peckham Pantry and cooking up some healthy, tasty and more affordable meals with the team, more people in need will seek out community initiatives like Your Local Pantry.
Through the new partnership, the Co-op and Your Local Pantry aim to support over 32,000 households over the next three years, saving Local Pantry members almost £5 million on shopping bills.
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