Supermarkets are about to spend millions making the nation cry, laugh and reach for the mince pies. But 57% of UK shoppers would rather they spent less on Christmas ads and cut prices instead.
Before a single ad drops, we asked around 1,500 UK adults on 16–18 October 2026 who they think will win the 2026 supermarket Christmas ad battle, who’s most likely to disappoint, and what they actually want to see on screen. Here’s what they told us.
Key findings
- Marks & Spencer is the UK’s top pick for the best supermarket Christmas ad of 2026, chosen by 40% of shoppers, more than double second-placed Aldi (17%).
- 57% of UK shoppers would rather supermarkets cut Christmas ad spend and lower prices. Only 21% want ad spend left unchanged.
- M&S is also the supermarket shoppers most want to spend less on its ad and cut prices (21%).
- Iceland and Co-op are tipped as the supermarket Christmas ads most likely to disappoint in 2026 (10% each), followed by Tesco (9%).
- 37% say Aldi should never retire Kevin the Carrot, while 22% say he’s had his run.
- 61% say a Christmas ad has never changed where they do their main Christmas food shop.
- 70% would react negatively to an AI-made supermarket Christmas ad, and 23% say it would put them off shopping there.
- 66% say supermarket Christmas ads shouldn’t start until mid-November or later.
Which supermarket will have the best Christmas ad in 2026?
Marks & Spencer is the clear favourite: 40% of UK shoppers predict M&S Food will have the best supermarket Christmas ad of 2026. That’s more than double second-placed Aldi (17%), with Waitrose third on 13%. The big surprise is Tesco. The UK’s biggest supermarket ranks fifth, on just 6%.
Which supermarket Christmas ad will make us cry, laugh, or disappoint?
M&S sweeps three categories. Shoppers expect it to make them cry (17%), make them hungry (43%) and go viral (19%, just ahead of Aldi on 18%). Aldi owns comedy, with 25% expecting it to make them laugh, more than any rival, three times as much.
Shoppers fear Iceland and Co-op will disappoint (10% each), though nearly a third (32%) don’t expect any supermarket to fall flat. Tears aren’t guaranteed either: 28% say no supermarket ad will make them cry this year. M&S is the nation’s favourite to win, and shoppers also want to spend less on its ad and cut prices (21%), ahead of Waitrose (14%). The premium players are winning hearts, but not necessarily wallets.
Is it time for Aldi to retire Kevin the Carrot?
Not yet. 37% of UK shoppers say Kevin should never be retired, and another 27% would give him one more year. That’s 63% who want the carrot back. Just 22% think he’s had his run, while 15% admit they’ve no idea who Kevin is.
Kevin has fronted Aldi’s Christmas ads for around a decade, and the nation is still very much in love.
When should supermarket Christmas ads start?
Two in three UK shoppers (66%) say supermarket Christmas ads shouldn’t start until mid-November or later, and 20% would hold off until December. Only 6% are happy to see them before November.
The hype is mixed. 45% are very or quite excited for this year’s ads, but almost half (49%) say they’re not bothered, and 6% dread them. TV still rules: 49% usually watch supermarket Christmas ads on TV, 21% on YouTube or social media, and 14% on streaming services. 12% don’t watch them at all.
Do Christmas ads change where people do their food shop?
Supermarkets bet big on Christmas ads to win the festive food shop, but 61% of UK shoppers say an ad has never changed where they do their main Christmas shop. 30% say it has, including 10% who’ve switched more than once. Another 9% don’t do a main Christmas food shop at all.
That’s the gap: brands treat the Christmas ad as their biggest sales moment of the year, while most shoppers say it doesn’t move their trolley.
What do UK shoppers want from supermarket Christmas ads in 2026?
Brands keep reaching for the tissues, but shoppers want a smile. Asked in their own words what mood they’d most like supermarket Christmas ads to bring, 42% described joyful, uplifting fun. That puts it well ahead of warm, cosy comfort (28%) and festive spirit and anticipation (26%). Nostalgia and Christmas traditions (15%) and togetherness, kindness and giving (8%) trail behind, while 5% simply don’t like Christmas ads at all. (Respondents could describe more than one mood, so percentages overlap.)
Real people win the casting vote: 53% would most like to see real people who aren’t celebrities, 30% animated characters, and just 17% celebrities. For brands paying A-list fees, that’s a hard sell.
Giving back matters too. Half (50%) say supermarket Christmas ads should always support a charity, food bank or community cause, and another 32% call it nice but not essential. Only 8% see it as a gimmick.
Should supermarkets cut prices instead of spending on Christmas ads?
57% of UK shoppers would rather supermarkets reduced their Christmas ad spend and used the savings to lower prices. Just 21% would keep ad spend unchanged, while 22% want a bit of both. Not everyone is convinced it would happen, though: one respondent doubted any savings would ever reach shoppers’ baskets.
Shoppers also want ads to read the room. 77% say supermarket Christmas ads should acknowledge the cost of living, with 40% saying they should acknowledge it a lot. Only 16% would prefer ads to stay purely escapist.
How do UK shoppers feel about AI-made Christmas ads?
70% of UK shoppers would react negatively if a supermarket used AI to create its Christmas ad. 47% would find it off-putting but keep shopping there, while 23% say it would put them off shopping there altogether. Just 30% would be fine with it.
Big brands are already learning this the hard way. Coca-Cola’s AI-generated remake of its classic “Holidays Are Coming” ad was widely slammed online as soulless and uncanny, and just this month, Fanta’s AI-made Halloween ad drew a wave of negative reactions, with some viewers vowing never to buy Fanta again. Nearly one in four UK shoppers say they’d take their trolley elsewhere, and at Christmas, authenticity is part of the product.
What happens next
OnePulse will track real-time reactions to every major supermarket Christmas ad as it drops. We’ll find out whether Brits called it, and whether M&S really takes the crown. Catch up on how Brits reacted to last year’s supermarket Christmas adverts.
FAQ
When do supermarket Christmas ads come out?
Most UK supermarket Christmas ads launch in early to mid-November. 66% of shoppers think they shouldn’t start until mid-November or later.
Which supermarket will have the best Christmas ad in 2026?
UK shoppers predict Marks & Spencer, with 40% of the vote in OnePulse’s pre-release survey of around 1,500 UK adults.
Which supermarket Christmas ad is most likely to disappoint in 2026?
Iceland and Co-op are the shoppers’ picks for most likely to disappoint (10% each), followed by Tesco (9%).
Will Kevin the Carrot be in Aldi’s 2026 Christmas ad?
Aldi hasn’t confirmed yet, but 63% of UK shoppers want Kevin back, and 37% say he should never be retired.
Do people want AI in Christmas ads?
Mostly not: 70% of UK shoppers would react negatively to an AI-made supermarket Christmas ad.
For journalists
This data is free to use with credit. Please credit OnePulse and link to this page. Full data is available on request. Please contact lois.fearne@onepulse.com.
About OnePulse
OnePulse is a real-time consumer insights platform serving the UK and US. Over 500 brands and agencies use OnePulse to run surveys, called Pulses, and get fast answers from real consumers.
Methodology
OnePulse surveyed around 1,500 UK adults per question (1,493 to 1,501 responses) across three Pulses between 16 and 18 October 2026, before any 2026 supermarket Christmas ads were released. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number, so some totals may not add up to exactly 100%. Full question wording and data tables are available on request. OnePulse is a real-time consumer insights platform used by over 500 brands and agencies.
