Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), Co-op and Special Olympics GB have brought back the Meals That Matter campaign for the summer, giving shoppers a simple way to support inclusive sport through selected meal deal purchases.
Running until 1 September, the initiative supports wider efforts to raise the profile of Special Olympics GB athletes ahead of the organisation’s first National Summer Games for nine years, taking place in Birmingham from 27 to 30 August. More than 1,200 people with an intellectual disability are expected to compete.
For every qualifying Co-op meal deal purchased with a 500ml bottle or can of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Diet Coke, 5p will be donated to Special Olympics GB. The funding will support year-round sports programmes for more than 12,000 athletes with an intellectual disability across England, Scotland and Wales.
Makaton symbols have again been incorporated into POS materials to help make the campaign accessible to the more than 10,000 children and adults across the UK who use Makaton to communicate.
Since launching in 2025, Meals That Matter has raised more than £200,000 for Special Olympics GB.
The campaign is being supported through in-store materials and digital touchpoints across participating Co-op stores, including front-of-store displays, digital screens and branded bays in 290 stores. A dedicated Birmingham store activation will also feature window and in-store displays highlighting the campaign athletes.
Featured athletes include triathlete and swimmer Angus Leckonby from East Yorkshire, swimmer Taylor MacKenzie from Dundee, rhythmic gymnast Ellie-Bea Thomas from Northampton and table tennis player Alex Rae from Aberdeen.
Coca-Cola and CCEP are headline partners of the 2026 National Summer Games, with the Meals That Matter campaign and ‘We Can’ athlete films helping build awareness ahead of the event.
