Waitrose consistently stocks and champions smaller brands; encouraging brand activations. So it’s not surprising to the PromoNow Insight team that there were approximately 38 on-pack promotions across August and September. In this article, we’ll review 18 on-pack promotions found at Waitrose which have yet to be covered in our Promotions Seen series. At the end of this article, you’ll also find the links to articles where we’ve already covered the other 20 promotions in detail.
As mentioned in previous Promotions Seen insight articles, many retailers share their retailer-own brand promotions on their websites - for Waitrose, this includes their weekend crossword competition and a changing array of promotions done in collaboration with brands, all of which are featured on their ‘Competitions’ page.
The display materials used in Waitrose rarely were in support of on-pack promotions. There are several branded display materials but the common theme was that most displays tended to provide recipe inspiration or add visual flavour to shelves and aisles.
That’s not to say that was all Waitrose provided in promotional display materials, in contrast to the last visit by the Insights team in February 2024, Waitrose has increased many of their point-of-sales materials. As the Halloween season approaches, we see more relevant promotional displays, including floor decals - a rare addition to Waitrose’s promotional media roster.
However, by far, aisle fins, shelf-stoppers, shelf barkers and other shelf-adjacent displays were the most used type of promotional display in Waitrose.
This promotion by Sailor Jerry collaborated with Sans Patrie and celebrity tattoo artist, Delphin Musquet. Which was run in support of their collaborative capsule collection, ‘Borderless’.
In-store, the on-pack promotion featured a die-cut bottle neck tag, outlining the key details of the promotion with Sailor Jerry’s flash-tattoo style - on the tag, there is also a Jerry Cola recipe to accompany the promotion.
Following the link or scanning the code on-pack will take shoppers to their microsite winwith.sailorjerry.com. The form itself is quite standard and uses a receipt validation method as a proof of purchase mechanic.
The validation process could be made more efficient with receipt robotics - which is an AI that validates receipts and invoices automatically. PromoNow provides AI receipt robotics that verifies receipts for any product from any retailer. With receipt robotics, the AI can detect fraudulent entries. It’s fast and reliable; a brilliant alternative to other proof of purchase methods such as URNs (unique reference numbers).
However, whilst the user journey on the desktop was seamless, the main issue for this promotion is the microsite’s unoptimised mobile experience, with the main problem being the text clipping off the edge of the screen and poor design causing confusion. For example, using white text on a white background for the drop-down menu.
Spanish wine brand, Cune offers the chance to win one of two, two-night stays in Rioja in their promotion alongside 10 6-bottle cases of Cune Crianza wines for runner-ups.
The on-pack promotions feature a boxy bottleneck cone label that details the prize and includes a QR code leading shoppers to cunewines.co.uk/tapas-trail. However, other than the prize, the label does not detail any other significant terms and conditions on the packaging, breaking CAP codes. Whilst on-pack there is the text that reads “Full T&Cs apply”, there is also ample space on the promotional packaging to list the significant terms which means that there are potential grounds for the ASA to uphold a ruling against Cune.
Outside of the regulatory issues, the box red bottleneck label against the black, white, and navy of the bottle makes the promotional material pop on shelves - it was also placed on the aisle end cap, the optimal place for shopper footfall.
Cadbury’s Win A Day To Remember promotion is another celebration of their 200th anniversary, there are over 200,000 prizes in their prize pool for this instant win and prize draw promotion with 133,250 voucher rewards to be awarded through instant wins during the promotions.
The on-pack promotion is found across all major retailers and features an eye-catching design on the front of the packs and the short terms and conditions on the back.
The promotion was supported by engaging social media efforts. Especially on Instagram, Cadbury has partnered with various brands including Goodwoof and VisitBritain to host Instagram giveaways to push even more attention to the Win A Day To Remember campaign and give even more prizes away as well as bolstering both its own and prize partners’ social media presence.
At the URL pomegreat.com, the pomegranate juice brand, Pomegreat hosts their promotion. Using a unique reference number as their choice method for proof-of-purchase.
For this on-pack promotion, a small sticker leaflet was used on the original packaging, containing the URN on the inner leaf as well as a few terms & conditions - however, there were still quite a few significant terms missing from the label such as how to enter the promotion which may pose an issue with the ASA.
However, the sticker is a great way to save on printing entirely new packaging, adding onto the packaging rather than commissioning an entirely new product packaging; getting that manufactured; and then onto shelves.
In celebration of the 2024 movie release, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the Coca-Cola Company released a special on-pack promotion featuring the faces of the cast in a vibrant label redesign. As usual, the promotion is hosted exclusively on mobile via their Coca-Cola app.
To enter, Participants have to earn at least 25 Beetle coins on the app to get their raffle code and enter the prize draw promotion. To earn these tokens, participants must play the game on the app ‘Escape The Afterlife Train’ which involves several interactive elements including AR to immerse players in the spooky and chaotic world of the film.
Tying with Premier Foods’ Win A Dinner, Give A Dinner promotion for bronze in the IPM 2024 Awards, this partnership promotion between TREK and Decathlon - the Everybody Active promotion, is an instant win and weekly prize draw.
This promotion utilises a 10-digit URN as proof of purchase. The pack also awards entrants with successful entries with a £5 off Decathlon voucher alongside a purchase exceeding the minimum £50. The promotional aspects of the pack are in Decathlon’s blue brand colour, with the QR code directing shoppers to the microsite trekdecathlon.co.uk where entries can be made to enter the promotion.
Whilst the particular pack the PromoNow insights team spotted was an on-pack for Barny’s the promotion runs across several Cadbury’s products.
After a successful year in 2023, the Big Ticket Savings promotion returns in 2024 with Merlin Entertainments yet again collaborating with Mondelez to give discounts to shoppers at the biggest attractions in the UK. Following the URL listed on the back of the pack will take shoppers to fun.cadbury.co.uk. Cadbury uses a barcode and batch code entry to verify purchases. Once the entrant has successfully entered, they will be provided with a unique discount code.
Followed up with social media support on both Belvoir Farm’s and holidaycottages.co.uk’s social media platforms, this on-pack promotion seen in Waitrose offers shoppers holiday vouchers to win.
Found at the URL win.holidaycottages.co.uk/BelvoirFar; it is a completely free-to-enter promotion. This partnership prize draw promotion offers 1 main prize and 5 runner-up prizes available for shoppers to win.
Bear Snacks had run 2 separate promotions on two of their product ranges.
For their iconic Yo Yos products, Bear Snacks partnered with the Natural History Museum to give customers the chance to win tickets to the museum’s DINO SNORES for Kids events alongside other prizes. This on-pack promotion quite rightly targets the brand’s audience of children and families. Although this purchase ended in late July, the promotional packs were still available for purchase during the Insights team’s visit.
Alongside that, Bear Snacks also had an on-pack promotion running on their ‘Little Paws’ snacks. Partnering with Water Babies, this prize draw offers participants the chance to win free swimming classes.
Both promotions can be found on the Bear Snacks website at bearsnacks.co.uk/NHM and bearsnacks.co.uk/waterbabies, respectively. On their website, multiple brand promotions can be found. Whilst this is certainly a viable place and method to host brand promotions - a brand that frequently runs promotions, such as Bear Snacks, may find more benefit to starting an always-on promotional microsite. This website can then always be linked through a plain URL or by connected packaging (i.e. a QR code on any box of Bear Snacks) which means that as a brand, Bear wouldn’t have to continually produce new packaging for each promotion launched. It also encourages participants to return to the microsite every so often to check for promotions, instilling a sense of loyalty to the brand.
Paper towel brand, Regina launched their XXL Absorb Pizza Party on-pack promotion. This instant win and prize draw uses a URN to provide proof of purchase which can be found on-pack. Following the on-pack instructions, shoppers will arrive at the microsite winabsorb.regina.uk.com/.
It’s fairly common to see alcohol brands offer prizes such as trips to their distilleries or wineries or offer trips to the country or region in which the drink their brand sells originates. It’s also not uncommon for it to be both. For the rum brand, Mount Gay, their promotion’s main prize includes both. Making use of a bottleneck leaflet tag attached with a string, the rum embraces the vibrancy of both their brand but also Barbados.
Inside the leaflet, shoppers will find the QR code leading to the promotional microsite mountgaypromo.co.uk, The microsite features the same style, consistent with Mount Gay’s branding and on-pack promotional materials, opting to use receipt validation for their proof-of-purchase method.
Whilst there’s no real issue with the microsite and it works well from a user perspective on both desktop and mobile - this Mount Gay promotion falls victim to the mistake of not including significant terms on the on-pack materials. The on-pack promotion fails to disclose opening and closing dates, entrant requirements, and several more significant terms. Of which is outlined by the PromoNow Insights team in detail.
For Icelandic vodka brand, Reyka, the issues are different. The on-pack promotion features strong on-pack designs, outlining the necessary terms and is consistent with its branding. The on-pack promotion also partly includes a cocktail recipe on the back. The promotion is reminiscent of Sailor Jerry’s partnership promotion with Sans Patrie, and it’s likely due to the shared promoter, William Grant & Sons.
Celebrating Cordon Cava’s 50th anniversary, Freixenet runs an on-pack promotion across their Cordon Cava range with a die-cut bottle neck tag. On the back of the tag, an 8-digit URN can be found which is the chosen method of proof-of-purchase for this on-pack promotion. The QR code and URL on the back of the tag will take shoppers and customers to winwithfreixenet.co.uk where they can enter for the chance to win.
Like any other wine brand, this promotion offers a trip to their winery as part of the main prize which is a trip to Barcelona. Alongside that, there are also spa day prizes, Freixenet and Cordon Cava branded merchandise, as well as vouchers.
Partnering with Gardeners’ World, Alpen’s on-pack promotion offers shoppers the chance to win a garden makeover worth up to £25,000 The promotion itself is hosted on Gardeners’ Weekly under the URL gardenersworld.com/win/alpen-competition/. Under /win, Gardeners’ Weekly also offers various other promotions to enter. Each requires participants to sign up for Gardeners’ weekly, making it an opportunity to increase newsletter subscriptions.
Upon scanning the QR code or following the link for the ‘Win A Campervan’ on-pack promotion by Charlie Bigham’s, shoppers will be taken to the promotional page charliebighams.com/winwithcharlie where entrants have to input their batch code as the method for proof-of-purchase.
This on-pack promotion by Philadelphia takes shoppers to its microsite philadelphia-brunch.com, The promotion was also supported through social media, with accompanying posts on Philadelphia’s Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. This promotion works with chef, Andi Oliver to give the winner a VIP Brunch experience.
Hot sauce brand, Cholula has partnered with Disney to bring forward an on-pack promotion for the new Deadpool & Wolverine film. With the character’s love for Mexican food, this promotion with Cholula is a perfect nod to the characterisation of Deadpool.
The on-pack promotion features a box bottleneck label where the short terms can be found and a QR code that leads shoppers to the URL choluladeadpool.co.uk.
As part of the promotional prizes, there is one headline prize of a trip to Vancouver and 430 other runner-up prizes including Deadpool x Wolverine merchandising.
Silent Pool Gin - Gift With Purchase
Kopparberg – Win An e-bike Every Month
Aperol – Win Tickets To Latitude
KP Snacks – Everyone In With A Chance To Win £10,000
Ribena – Win Family Experiences Every Day
Capri-Sun – Free Sports Session With Every Pack
Cadbury (Mondelez) – Home And Away Wins
Weetabix - Chance To Win A Smart Watch Every Day Or 1 Of 2000 Footballs
Nestle - Paris 2024 Paralympics Experience
Kellogg’s – Chance To Win Football Prizes
Cadbury - Win A Chunk Of History
Premier Foods - Win Mega Prizes
Premier Foods - Who Stole The Recipe
Old El Paso – Win Vip Tickets To The Paris 2024 Olympics
Whole Earth – Win Tickets To Paris 2024
The team will continue to keep track of brand promotions in various categories, updating readers on the biggest promotional news.
To be informed on the latest promotional news and industry insights, click the follow button below and follow us on LinkedIn, we'll keep you updated.
If you're interested in running your own promotions, visit promo-now.com/contact to learn how PromoNow can help you create engaging brand activations, or contact one of our PromoNow Experts on +44 (0) 20 380 555 38.
Solutions for every activation™
PromoNow is a managed end-to-end cloud platform empowering brand owners with rapid, scalable and secure solutions for any promotional activation.
