Co-op, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Special Olympics Great Britain have relaunched their ‘Meals That Matter’ campaign, with 5p from every qualifying lunchtime meal deal donated to the charity.

Running until 1 September, the initiative will help fund year-round sports programmes for more than 12,000 athletes with an intellectual disability across England, Scotland and Wales.

The campaign also aims to raise the profile of Special Olympics GB ahead of its first National Summer Games in nine years, which will take place in Birmingham from 27 to 30 August and involve more than 1,200 athletes.

Customers buying a qualifying Co-op lunchtime meal deal containing a 500ml bottle or can of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Diet Coke will trigger a 5p donation to Special Olympics GB.

Since launching in 2025, the partnership has raised more than £200,000 for the charity.

This year’s campaign will be supported by in-store and digital activity across participating Co-op stores, including front-of-store displays, digital screens and branded bays across 290 locations.

A dedicated Birmingham activation will also feature window and in-store displays showcasing four Special Olympics GB athletes: triathlete and swimmer Angus Leckonby, swimmer Taylor MacKenzie, rhythmic gymnast Ellie-Bea Thomas and table tennis player Alex Rae.

Makaton symbols have also been incorporated into point-of-sale materials to improve accessibility for shoppers who use the communication system.

Coca-Cola and CCEP are headline partners of the 2026 National Summer Games, with Meals That Matter forming part of a wider programme of activity ahead of the event.

CCEP senior community partnerships manager Holly Firmin said: “Meals That Matter turns a familiar moment in retail into something more meaningful.

“Every qualifying meal deal helps raise funds for Special Olympics GB’s year-round work, while giving athletes greater visibility in the places people shop every day.”

Special Olympics GB chief executive Laura Baxter MBE said the campaign helped challenge perceptions around intellectual disability by putting athletes at the centre of everyday retail environments.

“By seeing our athletes in Co-op stores across the country, more people will discover what Special Olympics GB is all about and, we hope, be inspired by everything these athletes can achieve,” she said.

Co-op senior buying manager Michael Williams added: “Last year’s campaign showed just how much our customers enjoy getting behind a cause that makes a real difference.

“Every qualifying meal deal is a simple way for shoppers to support the charity while learning more about the people whose stories are featured throughout our stores.”

Coca-Cola has partnered with Special Olympics since 1968, while its involvement with Special Olympics GB dates back to the movement’s launch in Great Britain in 1978.

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