The latest plot twist in the world of TV soap operas is one of the most unexpected yet: the Weatherfield Co-op, a feature of the gritty northern series Coronation Street since 2018, is to be replaced by the more upmarket grocery retailer Sainsbury’s.
From July, the sponsorship and product placement deal will feature Sainsbury’s and Argos (the two merged in 2016) in scenes on Victoria Street, which adjoins Coronation Street. Viewers will see branding in the background as characters chat on the street or pop in for groceries. The brand visibility will also extend to shopping bags and other props.
The product placement agreement with ITV, set to run until 2026, won’t have been cheap. In 2021 Argos was reported to be paying £10 million a year to sponsor the show. Other brands have paid to appear on the Corrie cobbles in the past, including Costa Coffee, EE and travel firm Hays Travel.
