Co-op has joined forces with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) and Special Olympics Great Britain (GB) to launch 'Meals That Matter’ – a campaign championing inclusion and raising funds to support Special Olympics GB’s life-changing sports programmes for people with intellectual disabilities.
Running in Co-op stores across the UK from 9th July to 5th August, the initiative invites customers to support Special Olympics GB through a simple meal deal: buy two Co-op pizzas and 4x330ml Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Diet Coke cans for just £6 for members, and 25p from every sale will be donated to help fund Special Olympics GB’s year-round sporting opportunities.
As a registered charity (800329 and SC052090), Special Olympics GB supports over 12,666 athletes across 27 sports, including skiing, football, ice-skating, boccia and table tennis. Its community of 5,940 volunteers provides a safe, supportive environment that empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities to thrive through the power of sport in grassroots clubs.
At the heart of Meals That Matter are five inspiring Special Olympics GB athlete ambassadors: Alex Rae, Bleddyn Gibbs, Stephanie Gott, Katie Day, and Lloyd Martin, who each share their personal stories to highlight the campaign’s core message: everyone wins when you choose to include.
Alex Rae, a double silver medallist in table tennis, has been a Co-op colleague at the Rosehill Drive store in Aberdeen for almost 25 years. Alex said:
Being a part of the Special Olympics Grampian club is amazing, as is working for Co-op. The support and encouragement I’ve had has helped me build my confidence and really believe in myself. I’d love for more people with intellectual disabilities to have opportunities like these so they can really see what they can do.
The campaign will be unmissable in stores, with animated digital screens, several front-of-store takeovers, shelf talkers, branded floor stickers and more. All will feature SOGB athletes alongside the campaign’s powerful message. A dedicated online hub and Co-op Members email campaign will further amplify engagement and reach.
In a first for a major in-store retail campaign, Meals That Matter will also feature Makaton symbols – part of an inclusive communication programme that uses speech, signs and symbols to support understanding and expression. For many people with communication difficulties, Makaton makes it easier to connect with others and participate fully in everyday life.
Holly Firmin, Senior Community Partnerships Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners added: “SOGB makes an enormous difference to the lives of athletes with intellectual disabilities and this campaign aims to raise awareness of that.
"It’s about showing what’s possible when everyone is given the support they need to thrive and why inclusion in everyday life, in sport and in the workplace, really does matter.”
Coca-Cola has been a founding partner and global sponsor of Special Olympics since its inception, extending this commitment to Special Olympics GB from the moment the movement launched in Great Britain in 1978. Today, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners proudly continues this legacy through its long-standing partnership with Special Olympics GB, championing inclusion both on and off the field through volunteering and the funding of Unified Sports events and Unified Business projects.