Co-op Highlights the Joy in the Little Things in Summer Campaign from Lucky Generals

Today, Co-op - in collaboration with Tom Tagholm at Park Pictures and Lucky Generals - launches its Summer TV campaign to announce the roll-out of Europe’s most extensive in-store recycling scheme for soft plastic, plastic bags and product wrapping. 

As part of a new partnership with ITV, the heart-warming ad will debut during the Coronation Street ad break this evening.  

Speaking to the mood of the nation, the ad reflects that whilst some of us are still a little hesitant to go back into public, there is joy to be found in the little things like popping to the Co-op to do our bit for our environment.

The scheme will make soft plastic recycling units available at 1,500 Co-op stores now and 2,300 by November, and will see the convenience retailer become the first UK supermarket to have fully recyclable food packaging by the end of this month- helping to tackle the confusing postcode lottery of kerbside collections. 

The nationwide roll out of recycling units ensures Co-op’s own food packing as well as hard to recycle products from other supermarkets such as crisp packets, bread bags, single-use carrier bags and bags-for-life, lids from ready meals and yogurt pots, biscuit wrappers and pet-food pouches are easily recyclable in every community. 

The creative features an older man, Tom, who is venturing out of his house for the first time in a while. As he journeys to Co-op, clutching a plastic bread bag, he finds himself mesmerised by the nature around him and by the little ‘normal’ things we have all missed. He encounters neighbours in the garden, a fox darting across a path and a teenage couple stealing a kiss. 

The ad ends with Tom dropping off his bread bag into the soft plastics bin. He sees a neighbour who says how nice it is to see him out, and we hear the voiceover say ‘we can all do our bit for the environment. You can now recycle soft plastics like bread bags at Co-op’. 

Coronation Street viewers will also notice the recycling units arrival on the cobbles during the latter part of this year, as part of the ongoing partnership between Co-op & ITV. 

The advert is part of a nationwide, multi-channel campaign which will include digital, social, OOH, PR and Co-op colleague and member activations.

Ali Jones, Customer Director, Co-op said at Co-op, said: “I’m so proud of this campaign which encompasses many of the things Co-op stands for; community, co-operation, caring for the environment and convenience for our customers.  We have always been at the forefront of removing hidden plastic and unnecessary packaging, and this new scheme aims to help communities across the UK to make small changes that together will add up to a big difference for our environment.” 

Danny Hunt, creative director at Lucky Generals, said: “Co-op has always been set apart from other supermarkets due to their emphasis on honest human values. This next step with recycling soft plastics reflects Co-op’s concern for our environment and shows that we can all do our bit to protect all that lovely normalness that we all too often take for granted."

Mark Trinder, ITV director of commercial sales and partnerships said: "TV can be a powerful force for good, helping to change people's behaviour in a positive way and this is a great example of that. With both the new TV ad and the product placement in Coronation Street, ITV is proud to be supporting this recycling scheme from Co-op."