At a time when British pubs need as much support as they can get, the Co-op released an advert that infuriated pub owners across the country.
Co-op Receives Backlash
The Co-op has received significant backlash after a contentious advert during the UK’s summer of sport.
British Pubs Gain Boost
As the UK gets its summer of sport underway, more people are crowding British pubs to get a glimpse of the action.
Co-op’s Controversial Ad
The Co-op released a controversial advert in an attempt to discourage people from supporting this much-needed resurgence of British pubs.
Undermining Livelihoods
The Co-op’s advert has been scrutinised by Publicans, who claim the supermarket chain is trying to “Deliberately” undermine Publican’s livelihoods.
Discouraging Pub Use
The advert encouraged people to stay at home to watch the sport on display this summer rather than go to the pub.
Stay in and Eat Pizza
The advert offered a new deal: “Stay in with two pizzas and get four beers” before claiming the pub was too crowded.
A Strongly Worded Letter
The advert is no longer than 10 seconds, but that didn’t stop campaigners from writing a letter to the Co-op’s chief executive, Shirine Khoury-Haq.
Targeting British Pubs
The letter was written by the Campaign for Pubs and accused the Co-op of creating a “disgraceful” advert targeting pubs at their busiest time of year.
“Disgusted and Deeply Angry”
According to the Campaign for Pubs, the group are “disgusted and deeply angry” by the advert before calling the advert an “attack” on businesses.
A Shameless Attack
The letter said the Co-op is “a supposedly ethical business” that is “cynically and shamelessly” attacking another business sector.
Calls to Pull the Plug
The Campaign for Pubs has called on the Co-op to pull the plug on the advert and apologise to pubs across the UK, but they will not like the Co-op’s response.
A Disappointing Result
The Co-op’s spokesperson has responded to the letter, although Campaign for Pubs will be highly disappointed with what they said.
A “Light-Hearted” Response
The response called the advert “light-hearted”, suggesting that Campaign for Pubs’ calls were trivial and the advert would not affect pubs negatively.
Nothing to be Taken Seriously
According to the Co-op spokesperson, the “10-second advert” should be taken as nothing more than a “light-hearted” way of communicating the deal to the customer.
A “Cracking” Co-op Deal
The advert tells the customer that “if they have made the choice to stay in to watch the football,” then Co-op has a “cracking pizza and beer deal,” the Co-op said.
Cost of Living Crisis
The response acknowledged that the “cost of living is high” and signified an intention to help customers save money on food and beer during this time.
A Tough Time for Pubs
Pubs and restaurants in the UK faced a torrid time during the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost 10,000 establishments closing permanently in 2020.
Benefiting From Sport
Now, those who survived can benefit from a summer full of sporting action, pouring the pints for thirsty sports fans.
Sports Fans Spoiled for Choice
Whether watching England in the Euros, Murray and Radacanu at Wimbledon, or Lewis Hamilton winning the F-1, fans are spoiled for choice this year.
A Disruption to UK Nightlife
Co-op’s decision to target pubs could be seen as an attempt to disrupt the resurgence of nightlife in the UK.
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