Co-op Switches Off Christmas TV Advert to Spotlight Community-Led Food Initiative

Instead of a traditional supermarket multi-million pound TV commercial, this Christmas, Co-op and Lucky Generals will raise awareness of affordable community solutions to food projects helping to tackle household finances as costs continue to rise.

As part of its long-term commitment to ensure communities, members and colleagues have better access to sustainable food solutions this Christmas and beyond, Co-op has announced a major new partnership with Your Local Pantry - a membership-based food scheme and community hub.

Today, Co-op has partnered with TV chef and rapper Big Zuu, to stream live from Your Local Pantry in Peckham. The unique activation will bring the local community together through food, by demonstrating simple and nutritious recipes for only a few pounds, as well as meeting the Local Pantry volunteers and members who are helping their community grow and thrive.

The live stream will also see special appearances from chef, presenter and author, Miguel Barclay - the brains behind One Pound Meals, to share useful tips and tricks to make your groceries go further.

The partnership, which is funded by Co-op Members, will see the Your Local Pantry network triple within three years from 75 to 225 pantries across the UK, with the addition of 150 new pantries.

Pantries are run by uniformed staff and volunteers, are open to all and work like any other grocery store, in that you choose the food you want from the shelves. Members pay a small subscription of a few pounds a week, and in return can choose groceries worth many times more.

This Christmas, and all year round, those looking for financial support can become a Local Pantry Member and pay as little as 3.50 for around £10 worth of food. At the Peckham Pantry, it costs just 4.50 for around £15.0 of food.

To date, Your Local Pantry has helped tens of thousands of households improve finances and access more affordable food. Through the new partnership, Co-op and Your Local Pantry aim to support over 32,0000 households over the next three years, saving Local Pantry members almost £5million on shopping bills. Regular members save an average of £1,000 a year.

Mel Matson, director of customer proposition and communications at Co-op said:  At Co-op, community is at the heart of everything we do. We have seen many of our competitors attempt to find the right tone for their Christmas ads this year, to reflect the mood of the nation. Rather than spending multi-millions of pounds on a  traditional TV advert this year, we felt the best way to show our commitment to making things a little fairer for our communities, is to pull our Christmas ad altogether.

Instead, we are able to channel our resources to highlight a hugely important community-led food scheme, which offers choice and dignity when times are tough. Our unique live stream will show that pantries are there to support people and their local communities in dealing with the challenges thrown at them.”

James Henderson, Your Local Pantry Network development coordinator, added: “Pantries are fantastic places. They bring people together around food, soften the impact of high living costs, and strengthen the power and potential of neighbourhoods. Communities have long wanted to improve food security while upholding dignity, choice and hope, and Pantries are a proven win-win solution. We're really excited to be teaming up with the Co-op, so another 150 neighbourhoods can open Pantries of their own."

Big Zuu, TV chef and Grime artist 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.