Asda and Sainsbury’s have become the first of the UK’s major supermarkets to unwrap their Christmas adverts, setting the tone for a season of festive storytelling as other retailers prepare to follow suit in the coming week.
Asda’s 2025 campaign features none other than the Grinch, the famously grouchy Christmas cynic. The ad opens in a bustling winter market, with the green grump sneering at “spenny gifts” before being won over by Asda’s low-cost festive range. It’s a playful nod to value and goodwill, underscoring the retailer’s price-led message. Chief customer officer Rachel Eyre said the aim was to help everyone enjoy “the Christmas we all deserve,” without financial pressure.
Sainsbury’s has taken a more nostalgic route, reviving Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant in a heartwarming adventure that sees the BFG team up with a girl named Annie to stop a “Greedy Giant” from stealing Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range. The campaign extends in-store with themed gifts and a partnership with the Roald Dahl Story Company, alongside initiatives supporting the retailer’s food poverty programmes.
With Asda and Sainsbury’s setting the pace, attention now turns to the other retail giants — including John Lewis, Tesco and Marks & Spencer — all expected to unveil their eagerly anticipated Christmas campaigns in the days ahead.
