It is officially the season when supermarkets and retailers tug at the nation’s heartstrings with festive adverts designed to capture the true spirit of Christmas.
Although major names including John Lewis, Waitrose and M&S have yet to unveil their signature tearjerkers, the contest to produce 2026’s most touching Christmas advert is already gathering pace.
With Halloween now behind us, the festive season is clearly under way. Sainsbury’s, Tesco and The Perfume Shop have all launched their Christmas campaigns, and each one is likely to leave viewers reaching for the tissues.
Sainsbury’s has brought back Roald Dahl’s much-loved BFG for a third consecutive year in a two-minute story about friendship, generosity and ensuring that ‘nobody misses out’.
Tesco’s campaign stars Irish comedian Roisin Conaty and Motherland actress Anna Maxwell Martin as former school friends who unexpectedly meet again after years apart.
Meanwhile, The Perfume Shop’s 90-second film follows a family facing a Christmas that feels different without their father, delivering a particularly poignant message about love and remembrance.
So, which retailer is leading the early race for this year’s best Christmas advert? The choice is yours…
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has brought back the beloved BFG for a third consecutive year in its 2026 Christmas advert
Familiar Sainsbury’s colleague Annie is determined not to let her giant friend go without this Christmas. With her trusty sidekick Fred and a van packed with festive Taste the Difference treats, she sets off on a daring delivery mission to Giant Country.
Sainsbury’s has brought back the beloved BFG for a third consecutive year in its 2026 Christmas advert.
The two-minute film premieres on television tonight at 6.26pm before being released across Sainsbury’s social media channels and website. Shorter versions will also appear on television and online platforms.
The story finds the much-loved giant suffering from a cold just days before Christmas and fearing that he will miss out on the celebrations.
Determined to make sure her giant friend is not forgotten, familiar Sainsbury’s colleague Annie sets off for Giant Country with her trusty sidekick Fred and a van loaded with festive Taste the Difference treats.
The journey is anything but easy. Along the way, the pair encounter a mischievous 48-foot Greedy Giant, who tries to steal their food by disguising his mouth as a tunnel, as well as an enormous Squizzly Scotch-Hopper blocking their route.
At one stage, the van is left hanging over the edge of a rocky cliff, before the Greedy Giant gives chase once more. Annie eventually stops him by scattering Brussels sprouts across the road, sending him slipping and sliding.
After a string of setbacks, Annie finally arrives at the BFG’s cave with an assortment of treats, including Black Tiger Tempura Prawns and English Pigs in Blankets.
The advert concludes with the trio sharing a festive feast. As Annie reminds the giant that ‘nobody should miss Christmas’, the closing slogan appears: ‘For everything that makes Christmas unmissable’.
Tesco
Tesco has assembled an impressive cast for its 2026 Christmas advert, with Irish comedian Roisin Conaty (pictured) and acclaimed actress and Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin leading the festive campaign, titled ‘The Wrong Address’
The three-minute film stars Conaty as Polly, a Tesco delivery driver who unexpectedly reconnects with her former school friend Lizzie, played by Maxwell Martin (pictured), after years apart
Tesco has recruited an impressive cast for its 2026 Christmas advert, with Irish comedian Roisin Conaty and acclaimed actress and Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin fronting the festive campaign, titled ‘The Wrong Address’.
The three-minute film sees Conaty play Polly, a Tesco delivery driver who unexpectedly meets her old school friend Lizzie, portrayed by Maxwell Martin, after many years apart.
The story begins when Lizzie accidentally sends her large Christmas food order to her former address, hundreds of miles from her new home. She is left concerned that her family will be without their festive favourites.
Polly is happy to help by taking the shopping closer to Lizzie’s home, but what begins as a straightforward handover soon develops into an unexpected road trip.
As they travel across the country, the former friends look back on their school days and gradually rekindle their relationship, turning the journey into an unexpected festive reunion.
The advert celebrates friendship, kindness and the lengths people will go to help one another at Christmas, while also underlining Tesco’s commitment to supporting its customers throughout the year.
The Perfume Shop
The Perfume Shop’s 90-second black-and-white film follows a family of three preparing for their first Christmas without their father, whose absence is felt in the small traditions they once shared
When the youngest son asks about putting up the Christmas lights, his mother explains that his father used to do it, prompting his older brother to step in and help
The Perfume Shop has chosen a more emotional direction for its Christmas advert, with its new ‘Let Love Last’ campaign exploring how fragrance can preserve memories of loved ones even after they are gone.
The 90-second black-and-white film follows a family of three preparing for their first Christmas without their father, whose absence is reflected in the everyday traditions they once shared.
When the youngest son asks about putting up the Christmas lights, his mother explains that his father used to take care of it. His older brother then steps in to help.
Together, the brothers begin recreating some of their father’s festive rituals, from baking mince pies with his old recipe to decorating the Christmas tree.
Later, the older brother notices that only a small amount remains in a perfume bottle his father gave their mother every Christmas.
Keen to carry on the tradition, he secretly buys her the same fragrance and presents it to her on Christmas morning, complete with an engraved message from the boys.
The advert closes with an emotional embrace between the mother and her sons as the family finds a way to keep the memory of their father alive.
The campaign builds on The Perfume Shop’s ‘The Power of Perfume’ brand positioning, showing how a familiar scent can unlock cherished memories and create lasting emotional connections.
