UK Christmas Adverts 2026 Revealed as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and More Begin Festive Battle

Christmas has arrived on British television screens, with some of the UK’s biggest retailers unveiling their festive adverts for 2026, featuring familiar faces, childhood favourites and emotional stories designed to capture the spirit of the season.

Sainsbury’s has brought back Roald Dahl’s BFG for a third Christmas adventure, while Tesco has recruited Roisin Conaty and Anna Maxwell Martin for a heartwarming story about two former schoolfriends. Richard Ayoade is also getting into the festive spirit for Argos, with a nostalgic journey inspired by a Christmas classic.

Debenhams, Very and The Perfume Shop have joined the celebrations, offering viewers a selection of festive films as attention turns towards the eagerly anticipated John Lewis advert.

With more campaigns expected throughout November, here are the UK Christmas adverts revealed so far and where you can watch them.

Sainsbury’s Brings Back the BFG for a Third Christmas Adventure

Sainsbury’s has reunited viewers with the Big Friendly Giant for a third consecutive year, this time sending supermarket colleague Annie Ferguson into Giant Country on a mission to save Christmas.

The two-minute film sees the BFG struck down with a cold just days before Christmas, leaving him unable to collect his festive shopping and worried about missing out on the celebrations.

Determined that her enormous friend will not spend Christmas without a proper dinner, Annie sets off with her companion Fred in a Sainsbury’s delivery van packed with festive food.

Their adventure is anything but straightforward, with a mischievous Greedy Giant attempting to steal their supplies, a giant creature called the Squizzly Scotch-Hopper blocking their route and a frightening moment when their van almost falls from a cliff.

Annie eventually reaches the BFG’s cave, bringing a feast that includes pigs in blankets, turkey and other seasonal favourites. The friends share Christmas dinner together, reinforcing the advert’s message that nobody should be left out of the celebrations.

The campaign also highlights Sainsbury’s partnership with Comic Relief, through which the supermarket is supporting the provision of 12 million meals for families across the UK.

The advert makes its television debut at 6.26pm on Sunday 1 November, with the full film also scheduled for release through Sainsbury’s online channels.

Watch the advert:

Tesco Reunites Roisin Conaty and Anna Maxwell Martin in Emotional Christmas Story

Tesco has turned to the power of friendship for its 2026 Christmas advert, bringing together Roisin Conaty and Anna Maxwell Martin in a three-minute film called The Wrong Address, about reconnecting with someone from the past.

Conaty plays Polly, a Tesco delivery driver who recognises the name on a Christmas food order and realises it belongs to her former schoolfriend Lizzie, played by Maxwell Martin.

The order has mistakenly been sent to Lizzie’s old address, creating an unexpected reunion between the two women, who have not seen one another for years.

Polly offers to help get the shopping to its intended destination, but their plans take another turn when a problem with Lizzie’s car leads to an impromptu journey together.

As they travel, the former friends begin remembering their schooldays and the relationship they once shared, although it becomes apparent that an old disagreement has kept them apart.

With The Police’s Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic providing the soundtrack, the advert gradually moves from comedy into something more emotional as Polly and Lizzie confront their past and rediscover their friendship.

The campaign places its emphasis on the people who make Christmas special, rather than the pressure to organise the perfect celebration.

Watch the advert:

Argos Takes Richard Ayoade Back to the 1990s

Richard Ayoade stars in Argos’s Christmas campaign, Tales of Argos Past, a playful take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol that celebrates the retailer’s famous catalogue.

The comedian plays a version of himself who is struggling to decide what to buy his mother for Christmas, prompting the arrival of two unusual visitors.

Argos mascots Connie and Trevor appear as ghosts of Christmas past, taking Ayoade on a journey through his childhood memories and reminding him of the excitement of choosing presents from the Argos catalogue.

For many British families, flicking through the catalogue and circling favourite toys was once an important part of the Christmas countdown, and the advert uses that nostalgia to introduce a more modern selection of gifts.

Ayoade eventually chooses a Shark CryoGlow LED face mask for his mother, demonstrating that Argos now offers a considerably wider range of products than the toys many viewers remember from childhood.

The advert combines festive comedy with a familiar piece of British shopping history, while allowing Ayoade to bring his trademark deadpan humour to the campaign.

Watch the advert:

Debenhams Brings Together Emily Atack, Mathew Horne and Kym Marsh

Debenhams has assembled one of the most recognisable casts of this year’s Christmas campaigns, with Emily Atack, Mathew Horne, Kym Marsh and singer Gabrielle appearing in its four-minute festive film, Christmas. For Everyone.

Released on 15 October, the advert follows Tina, played by Atack, as she returns to her hometown after ten years away and unexpectedly reconnects with childhood friend Chris, played by Gavin & Stacey actor Horne.

As the community prepares for its annual Christmas party, the pair find themselves revisiting their relationship, with the possibility of romance developing between them.

Former Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh plays local landlady Katie, while Gabrielle appears as herself, bringing a musical element to the celebrations with a performance of her hit Dreams.

The village festivities do not go entirely to plan, with unexpected setbacks threatening to spoil the celebrations, including problems with the entertainment and a power cut.

Rather than allowing the difficulties to ruin the occasion, the residents pull together to make the evening memorable, while Tina and Chris’s developing connection adds a romantic storyline.

The film also features social media personalities Saffron Barker, Jay Beech and Sammi Maria, making it one of the more ambitious celebrity-led campaigns released so far this Christmas.

With its familiar cast, village setting and mix of comedy and romance, the Debenhams advert feels closer to a miniature Christmas television special than a conventional retail promotion.

Watch the advert:

The Perfume Shop Tells an Emotional Story About Family Loss

The Perfume Shop has taken a deeply personal approach to its 2026 Christmas campaign, with a 90-second film exploring grief, family traditions and the emotional significance of a thoughtful gift.

Titled Let Love Last, the black-and-white advert follows two brothers preparing for their first Christmas without their father, as the family adjusts to a festive season that feels noticeably different from previous years.

The older brother notices that his mother’s favourite perfume is running low, reminding him that his father used to buy her a new bottle every Christmas.

Recognising how much the tradition meant to her, he decides to continue it himself, arranging the familiar gift in the hope of bringing some comfort to his mother.

When she opens the perfume on Christmas Day, the present becomes more than an ordinary gift, serving as a reminder of her husband and the memories the family shared.

The advert forms part of The Perfume Shop’s wider The Power of Perfume campaign, which explores the connection between fragrances, memories and relationships.

It offers a different perspective from the colourful animations and celebrity comedy appearing elsewhere this Christmas, acknowledging that the festive season can also be a difficult period for families experiencing bereavement.

Watch the advert:

When Is the John Lewis Christmas Advert Coming Out?

While several of Britain’s biggest retailers have already unveiled their festive campaigns, one of the most anticipated Christmas adverts is still to come.

John Lewis has become particularly well known for its annual Christmas films, with memorable stories, emotional soundtracks and elaborate productions helping make each new release a major event in the festive television calendar.

The retailer has yet to confirm the storyline, musical choice or release date for its 2026 campaign, although its Christmas adverts have traditionally appeared during November.

Marks & Spencer and Aldi are also among the retailers whose principal festive campaigns are expected to attract attention as the Christmas advertising season continues.

Which UK Christmas Advert Is the Best of 2026 So Far?

The opening wave of Christmas adverts has already brought a wide variety of festive storytelling to British screens, with retailers choosing different ways to celebrate the season.

Sainsbury’s has returned to the magical world of the BFG, Tesco has explored the value of old friendships, and Argos has embraced the nostalgia of childhood Christmas shopping.

Debenhams has delivered a celebrity-filled festive romance, and The Perfume Shop has focused on the quieter emotions that can accompany Christmas after the loss of a loved one.

More retailers are expected to reveal their campaigns throughout November, but viewers already have plenty to choose from.

Which Christmas advert has impressed you most so far, and which retailer do you think deserves to be crowned the winner of Christmas 2026?