With the cost-of-living crisis looming large this Christmas, grocery retailers and brands are finding increasingly innovative ways to entice shoppers into the stores.
We take a look at the some of festive gift promotions grocery retailers and brands have introduced in 2023 for customers, just in time for the big day.
M&S – 12 Days of Sparks
Promising to be ‘bigger and better’ than last year, upmarket retailer M&S’s ’12 days of Sparks’ advent calendar, where shoppers find anything from free goods to discounts of certain categories, has proven a hit with shoppers.
Some 6 million doors were opened in the first five days of this year’s promotion, which also gives those that have opened all 12 windows the chance to win a £10K gift card.
M&S food marketing and loyalty director Sharry Cramond said: “We wanted to make 12 Days of M&S bigger, better and more festive than ever before and the response has been incredible, with hundreds of thousands of customers already picking up their free gifts from in-store and making savings using their festive offers.
Iceland – 12 deals of Christmas discounts
The grocery retailer has relaunched their ‘12 deals of Christmas discounts’, following the scheme’s popularity with customers last year.
Iceland drops a new deal each day online and in-store across a range of categories, including festive treats, savoury snacks and freezer fillers.
Iceland Foods and The Food Warehouse executive chairman Richard Walker said: “We know how tough it can be to feed the family during the Christmas period, and we are firmly committed to providing value to our shoppers and literally putting it back on the dinner table this festive season, making family favourites more accessible through the cost-of-living crisis.
“This comes following a flurry of initiatives we have launched to keep prices low and support our customers, including the decision to forego a Christmas TV ad and instead invest the funds in freezing prices and continue to offer value to shoppers.”
Products included in the deal so far include Quality Street, turkeys and Matchmakers.
Tesco – Win your Christmas shop
The UK’s biggest retailer is giving Clubcard members the chance to win their Christmas shop, in a bid to help customers with the cost-of-living crisis.
Tesco has revealed that 2,000 shoppers using its loyalty card scheme will receive two Tesco £250 e-gift cards, with one to be given to a friend or charity of their choice.
To enter the promotion, customers must go to Tesco’s ‘Win your Christmas shop’ to show a receipt of a minimum of £1 – although shoppers spending £50 online, £25 through click-and-collect, or £15 through Tesco’s Whoosh are entered into the supermarket’s sweepstakes.
The grocery giant claims more than £1m will be distributed to shoppers, with 650 winners to be named each week.
Cadbury – Secret Santa Postal Service
Mondelēz-owned confectionery brand Cadbury is bringing back its popular ‘Secret Santa Postal Service’, allowing people to gift free chocolates to their friends and families.
With 786 promotional posters containing QR codes dotted around the UK, Cadbury is letting shoppers know they can access the service at bus stops, train stations and local high streets.
Morrisons – Christmas Collector
The grocery retailer has brought back its Christmas Collector programme for app and card users, giving eligible customers access to festive offers and exclusive My Morrisons instant rewards.
The multiple week promotion is only open to certain Morrison shoppers, who will be notified through their My Morrisons app. It is also running the festive grocery Basket Bonus, which gives customers a chance to win discounts or a free gift with each purchase.
Speaking about last year’s initiative, Morrisons chief customer and marketing officer Rachel Eyre said: “We know that our customers are under real financial pressure right now and want to play our part in helping them when it comes to the cost of the festive grocery shop.
“Customers have told us they appreciated our Easter and Summer Collector schemes and so we are pleased to be bringing it back for Christmas once again. The addition of My Morrisons Exclusives means we are offering loyal customers even more value.”
Coca Cola – Santa Truck tour
Coca Cola’s iconic red Santa trucks are back, this time supported by an array of promotional activities and festive gifts.
In a bid to encourage consumers to buy the drink, the company is giving away trips, collectable merch and branded experiences.
The Santa trucks will also be doing a tour of the UK, giving away free drinks to locations up and down the country.
