Sainsbury’s has entered the Christmas adverts for 2025 by bringing back Roald Dahl’s beloved BFG.
This year, the Big Friendly Giant is joined by a new sidekick, Annie, a real Sainsbury’s colleague, embarking on a mission to save Christmas for Brits together.
In the wholesome tale, they manage to defeat their nemesis, The Greedy Giant, who is causing chaos with his greedy appetite.
This year, companies are facing stricter laws around what can be shown in Christmas adverts in compliance with the Labour government’s upcoming ban on junk food advertising.
However, Sainsbury’s offering looked as delicious as ever, featuring dry-cure gammon and a delicious Christmas dinner including pigs in blankets, Brussels sprouts and a succulent turkey from the Taste The Difference range.
Coming hot on the heels of Asda, which released this year’s first advert, Sainsbury’s 90-second video opens with a snowy scene showing Annie unloading the Christmas shopping while whistling the tune of Jingle Bells.
However, the sinister 48-foot Greedy Giant then steps into the frame, walking away from the Sainsbury’s delivery van having just devoured all the Christmas food inside, proclaiming that the products were ‘tastier than human beans’.
Annie turns to the BFG, who is delivering dreams nearby and exclaims ‘BFG, we’ve got an unexpected guest’, with the BFG responding: ‘Hey, Sainsbury’s, can you helps us?’
Sainsbury’s supermarket has entered the battle of the Christmas adverts for 2025 by bringing back Roald Dahl ‘s beloved BFG
This year, the Big Friendly Giant is joined by a new sidekick, Annie, a real Sainsbury’s colleague (pictured)
The Greedy Giant continues to cause chaos, stomping through the town and stealing people’s Christmas dinners and breaking their decorations.
Annie and the BFG team up, using diggers to deliver the food on time, sending a glazed gammon and a packet of breadsticks on their way.
As the ad progresses, Annie and the BFG discover the giant sleeping soundly outside a Sainsbury’s store following his escapades.
‘Swipe my swoggles, he’s swolloped the shop,’ the BFG exclaims, before the giant is whisked away with the help of Sainsbury’s colleagues – as the press gather round to cover the astonishing scenes.
Annie then invites the BFG to her home for Christmas lunch, but he protests: ‘You haven’t got room for an old sage and onions like me.’ ‘It’s Christmas, we’ll make room!’ she reassures him.
‘Want to be ready for anything this Christmas? Ask Sainsbury’s,’ the advert concludes.
Radha Davies, Sainsbury’s Marketing Director, said: ‘We want to help our customers have an unforgettable and magical Christmas.
‘Sainsbury’s is here to help the nation get ready for anything during the festive season, from spectacular centrepieces to showstopping desserts. Our innovative range of high-quality Taste the Difference food makes hosting easy.
Supermarkets are said to be facing tougher laws about what they can show in adverts this year – but Sainsbury’s still managed to display a delicious offering
Annie and the BFG have to work together to defeat the Greedy Giant who is trying to sabotage Christmas
‘There’s something for every occasion and to bring joy to all, even when the unexpected strikes.
‘We were delighted to revisit our collaboration with the Roald Dahl Story Company this year. The BFG, who is loved by all, was the perfect partner to help our brilliant colleague Annie save the day for our customers.
‘We wanted to capture a spirit of heartwarming nostalgia, with the energy of a great Christmas tale. We’ve translated that joyful energy into our new food range, which is designed to help families and friends create wonderful memories, with delicious, quality options for every taste and budget.’
Alice O’Brien, Head of Global Commercial Partnerships at Roald Dahl Story Company, said: ‘Last year the nation was captivated by two old friends back together, and this time we’re adding a new giant into the mix, inspired by the fearsome inhabitants of Roald Dahl’s Giant Country.
‘We know the BFG lives in the hearts of households around the country, and we’re excited for viewers to see him take on the ultimate foodie mission with Annie to save Christmas for all.’
To accompany the advert, Sainsbury’s has also launched a range of BFG-inspired homeware and food, including Snozzcumber sweets, inspired by the Roald Dahl tale.
It comes hot on the heels of Asda’s advert, which sees the Grinch shopping with his human family at a Christmas market.
The supermarket said the premise of the ad is that everyone gets ‘a little bit grinchy’ at Christmas.
The Greedy Giant eats an entire Sainsbury’s delivery and stomps around town
Annie and the BFG team up to tell a heartwarming tale about the power of Christmas
Every year, major British retailers and supermarkets race against each other in the battle for the best festive season campaign, and while famous faces are not uncommon, the grub is almost always the biggest star.
Adverts in 2025, however, will likely look devastatingly different as they are set to be stripped bare of some of these favoured treats in compliance with the Labour government’s upcoming ban on junk food advertising.
Lidl GB chief Ryan McDonnell told The Grocer: ‘There’s no doubt we’ve had to engineer our ads differently and be a lot more conservative, because there are so many products and categories that fall under HFSS regulation.’
He added that ‘there’s a lot of uncertainty around what the rules of play are’ and that it ‘remained to be seen’ what that would look like across ‘traditional media and social’.
The new rules, which aim to tackle childhood obesity, prohibit television ads airing before the 9pm watershed from showing foods that contain high levels of fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS).
While these were due to be enforced from October 1 before being delayed until January, some British supermarkets have adopted the strict ‘nanny state’ curbs under a contentious voluntary industry agreement that will put the classic Christmas ad ‘under threat’, according to consumer experts.
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