M&S footie tie-up promotes healthy eating

M&S Food has launched a new summer campaign encouraging consumers to eat more healthily, with a particular emphasis on fruit and veg.

As part of the retailer’s Eat Well Play Well partnership with the home nations’ football associations, M&S is launching the nationwide campaign to encourage customers to Follow the Flower in M&S stores to spot healthier choices.

The campaign stars a number of the leading female players from across the four nations, alongside ex-England mens’s star Ian Wright. It is the latest step in M&S Food’s Eat Well Play Well partnership with the England, Scotland, Cymru and the Northern Ireland National Football Teams to use the power of football and the influence of some of the UK’s biggest footballing heroes to help families make healthier choices.

M&S’ latest Family Matters Index recently showed that healthy eating is a growing priority with 30 per cent of families looking to eat more healthily in the coming months, and the campaign encourages customers to Follow the Flower in store.

M&S recently announced it had dropped or locked the price on over 50 Eat Well products to support customers in choosing a balanced diet, from M&S Select Farms mangetout (260g, cut by 15 per cent to £1.70) to pineapple chunks (150g, cut by 15 per cent to £1.70).

Sharry Cramond, marketing director ffor M&S Food and Hospitality, said: “With a summer of football ahead of us it was the perfect time to supercharge our Eat Well, Play Well partnerships with the home nations football teams, show our differentiation to other retailers through the partnership, and really focus on our Eat Well healthy options in store. So, we’ve brought back former England star, and all-round legend, Ian Wright to once again star in our TV advert – alongside some very familiar footballing faces from all corners of the UK.

“As well as championing women’s football this summer, our main aim is to help families eat healthier. Through the advert Ian explains our Eat Well proposition and how easy it is to ‘Follow the Flower’ in store for healthier choices - we have everything from steaks to sandwiches and cereals! Fingers crossed for a summer of success for Eat Well as well as the England team!”

 The campaign kicks off this week with an advert on ITV, which will run across VOD, YouTube and social across throughout the Women’s World Cup in July and August.

Customers will also see the campaign extensively promoted throughout M&S Foodhalls with yellow flower signage throughout, plus selfie stands and kids puzzle sheets to help promote Eat Well and healthy choices.