Magical mince pie windows arrive in the UK as Sainsbury’s celebrates the season of giving

• During December, every penny from each pack of by Sainsbury’s and Free from classic mince pies sold will be donated to Comic Relief
• To kick-off the campaign, Sainsbury’s has unveiled a series of ‘Magical mince pie windows’ in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Manchester
• Launched in London by Comic Relief supporter Shirley Ballas, who was on-hand today to serve a free mince pie and warm spiced tea to unsuspecting passers by
• The public are encouraged to donate to Comic Relief to help donate over five million meals to families experiencing food poverty

From yesterday (Monday 2^nd December), four major UK cities will become home to the first ever ‘Magical mince pie windows’, kicking off Sainsbury’s mince pie December donation to Comic Relief. In recognition of the Christmas table staple, every penny from each pack of by Sainsbury’s and Free from classic mince pies, sold from now until the new year, will go towards helping families experiencing food poverty. The windows will be open for two days, handing out an estimated 12,000 mince pies and warm spiced tea for FREE, with visitors able to make a suggested donation of £1.

With support from Shirley Ballas to surprise and delight locals at the London launch, Sainsbury’s ‘Magical mince pie windows’ have been inspired by the ancient wine windows of Florence, in both design and with generosity at their heart. These iconic windows will be opening in London, Birmingham, Newcastle and Manchester today and tomorrow. While picking up a mince pie and brew, visitors can donate to Comic Relief to further help Sainsbury’s on its mission to feed over five million families experiencing food poverty this winter.

With thousands of mince pies being handed out, Sainsbury’s polled the nation to reveal some stark differences in the ways Brits like to consume these treats. Four in 10 (40 percent) prefer to nibble their way through, while half (51 percent) will eat theirs naked (with no topping) and over a third (38 percent) eat theirs with an accompaniment – with cream (61 percent), ice cream (32 percent) and brandy butter (27 percent) coming out top. Meanwhile, one in 10 (11 percent) enjoy eating them in one bite, while one in 20 (5 percent) will dissect the pie, eating the filling first and pastry second (one in 10 (9 percent) opting for the other way round).

On average Brits will eat five mince pies between November and January, with a staggering seven in 10 (70 percent) preferring to buy ready-made, and less than one in five (17 percent) opting to make their own.

Ruth Cranston, Director of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability at Sainsbury’s said: “We know our customers love the chance to give back and this Christmas we’re making it easier than ever.

Throughout December, every by Sainsbury’s and Free from classic mince pie purchased will help support those experiencing food poverty this winter. Our ‘Magical mince pie windows’ offer a fun, festive way to enjoy a treat on us – with the option to donate £1 to Comic Relief if you’re able. This is all part of our mission to make good food accessible for everyone, and we’re thrilled to continue that work with our friends at Comic Relief.”

Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief said: “As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, countless families are still facing the heartbreaking reality of not being able to afford the essentials. So, to anyone able to spare a donation whilst enjoying their festive treat, thank you. Your kindness and generosity not only epitomises the festive spirit of the season, but it will make a world of difference in helping Comic Relief and Sainsbury’s provide urgent, nutritious food to families who need it the most this winter.”

All customers have to do to show their support is visit a Sainsbury’s store from Monday 2^nd December until 31^st December and purchase a box of mince pies. Every penny from each pack of the classic by Sainsbury’s and Free from classic mince pies sold will help Sainsbury’s contribute to the donation of over five million meals to Comic Relief.

In addition to this, until December 31^st, 10 pence from every festive sandwich sold will be donated to Comic Relief. Sainsbury’s will also contribute an extra £200,000 from the profits of its popular Nourish the Nation Christmas gifts and decorations supporting Comic Relief. Customer donations will be directed to food redistribution charity FareShare, as well as other food donation partners including The Felix Project, The Trussell Trust, City Harvest, Community Shop C.I.C and HIS Church. These organisations offer vital support to those experiencing food poverty, while also helping to tackle food waste across the UK.

Customers can also make a difference by donating what they can to Comic Relief at tills, online, or donating their Nectar points via the app. Customers can also directly support their local community groups by giving grocery items at the donation points at the front of Sainsbury’s stores.

Through Sainsbury’s and Comic Relief’s Nourish the Nation programme, Sainsbury’s support will help to provide over five million meals to families experiencing food poverty this winter. This follows Sainsbury’s recent £2.7 million donation which is helping to provide over one million meals to support children experiencing food poverty during the school holidays.