Supermarkets take a stand against racism following Sainsbury’s ad backlash

Adverts from Waitrose, Tesco, Iceland, Asda, Aldi, Marks & Spencer, Lidl and the Co-op will be broadcast during prime-time television slots on Friday along with the hashtag #StandAgainstRacism.

The move comes after Sainsbury’s received backlash on social media against its Christmas advert featuring a black family.

Sainsbury’s unveiled the first of three Christmas adverts earlier this month, each centred around the personal stories of British families and their connections to Christmas food, but was met with offensive and racist comments online. 

UK supermarkets have stood alongside Sainsbury’s after it was forced to defend the advert.

Sainsbury’s head of brand communications and creative Rachel Eyre said: “We strive to be an inclusive retailer and we’re proud to unite with our industry colleagues to stand up against racism.

“We’re passionate about reflecting modern Britain and celebrating the diversity of the communities we serve, from our advertising to the products we sell.

“Sainsbury’s is for everyone and we are committed to playing our part in helping to build an equal society.”

An M&S spokesperson added: “We’re with you, Sainsbury’s. Christmas is about bringing everyone together and we absolutely stand together against racism with our fellow retailers.”

Channel 4 chief revenue officer Veriça Djurdjevic said: “As an anti-racist organisation, we are incredibly proud to stand together with Sainsbury’s and our retail partners against racism, using our national platform to call out the unacceptable reaction to Sainsbury’s Christmas advert.”