BFG's Back: Sainsbury's Continues Roald Dahl Magic For Christmas 2025

Sainsbury's once again captures the magic of a BFG inspired Christmas with the debut of its new festive advert. Following on from the successful and much-loved partnership last year, the latest instalment is a true Christmas caper, which sees the beloved BFG character team up with new Sainsbury’s colleagues. Together they navigate the arrival of an unexpected guest, The Greedy Giant, to ensure every plate remains full, showcasing the magic of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range in a very BFG way!

The ad opens with the BFG and a new side kick, Annie, a real Sainsbury’s colleague dutifully delivering a family’s Christmas food shop, when a lip-smacking, unexpected character, arrives on the scene with a big appetite.  

The 48-foot permanently hungry giant then steps into the frame, walking away from the Sainsbury's delivery van having just devoured all the Christmas food inside, proclaiming that the products were “tastier than human beans”. Annie turns to the BFG, who is delivering dreams nearby and exclaims "BFG, we’ve got an unexpected guest”, with the BFG responding "Sainsbury’s, can you helps us?"

As the mischievous giant stomps his way through the town, crashing through the roof of a family’s home to snatch up their delicious spread of festive canapés, the BFG and Annie launch into action to deliver a speedy replacement of the all-important breadsticks.

The feasting is only getting started as the unexpected guest moves on to sneakily gobbling a Taste the Difference Dry Cure Gammon, before tucking into a Christmas dinner including Brussels sprouts, Taste the Difference Pigs in Blankets and a succulent turkey centrepiece through an open window.

As the ad progresses, Annie and the BFG discover the giant sleeping soundly outside a Sainsbury's store following his escapades. "Swipe my swoggles, he’s swolloped the shop," the BFG exclaims, before the giant is whisked away with the help of Sainsbury’s colleagues.

The ad closes on a heartwarming note as Annie invites the BFG to Christmas lunch, reminding him, in the true spirit of Sainsbury’s, that it’s always possible to make room for someone at the Christmas dinner table. Concluding with the message, "Want to be ready for anything this Christmas? Ask Sainsbury’s" followed by the brand’s promise, "Sainsbury's, good food for all of us."

Radha Davies, Sainsbury's Marketing Director, said: “We want to help our customers have an unforgettable and magical Christmas. Sainsbury’s is here to help the nation get ready for anything during the festive season, from spectacular centrepieces to showstopping desserts, our innovative range of high-quality Taste the Difference food makes hosting easy. There’s something for every occasion and to bring joy to all, even when the unexpected strikes. 

“We were delighted to revisit our collaboration with the Roald Dahl Story Company this year. The BFG, who is loved by all, was the perfect partner to help our brilliant colleague Annie save the day for our customers.  We wanted to capture a spirit of heartwarming nostalgia, with the energy of a great Christmas tale. We’ve translated that joyful energy into our new food range, which is designed to help families and friends create wonderful memories, with delicious, quality options for every taste and budget.” 

Alice O’Brien, Head of Global Commercial Partnerships at Roald Dahl Story Company, said: “Last year the nation was captivated by two old friends back together, and this time we're adding a new      giant into the mix, inspired by the fearsome inhabitants of Roald Dahl's Giant Country. We know the BFG lives in the hearts of households around the country, and we're excited for viewers to see him take on the ultimate foodie mission with Annie to save Christmas for all.”       

This year’s advert was created by Sainsbury’s advertising agency New Commercial Arts, with production led by Rogue Films and visual effects through studio Electric Theatre Collective. The 60” ad premieres on TV for the first time on Sunday 2nd November 2025 at 20:10pm. The 90” advert will be shown across Sainsbury’s social channels and website as well as during cinema screenings1 of Wicked from 21st November – 24thDecember. The 90” advert will also be supported by a series of 60”, 40” and 20” films across TV, social and online.

Ian Heartfield, Founder & CCO at New Commercial Arts, said: “The BFG is back, this time he’s teamed up with Sainsbury’s to help defeat the giant and save the nation’s Christmas dinners. We’ve given this campaign all the ingredients of a classic Christmas caper movie, whilst adding lashings of mouth-watering Sainsbury’s Christmas grub.”

To celebrate the advert, Sainsbury’s has also launched a magical range of BFG-inspired food, home, clothing and gifting items available in select stores and online now. The range, which features illustrations from Sir Quentin Blake, includes gourmet delights including a Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies BFG Book Tin and Snozzcumber Sweets (fizzle apple and lime flavoured pencil bites). Home items including Phizz-Whizzing Bath Bombs, BFG-inspired bed sets and cosy pyjamas, as well as treats for pets.

Sainsbury’s believes that everyone should have access to and benefit from the joy of good food. At Christmas especially, food plays a special role in adding to the magic of the season, but for the 14million adults facing food poverty in the UK (Trussell, 2025), festive memories rooted in food can be hard to find. That's why Sainsbury’s has teamed up with its longtime charity partner, Comic Relief, to distribute over five million meals to families experiencing food poverty this Christmas as part of the retailer’s ongoing food poverty programme, and there will be a special version of this year’s advert highlighting this all-important work.

Credits

Brand: Sainsbury’s 

Sainsbury’s Marketing Director: Radha Davies

Head of Sainsbury’s Brand Comms: Stephen Bowes

Brand Comms Manager: Holly Tavana

Brand Comms Manager: Rebecca Kent

Brand Comms Executive: Alice Taylor

Brand Comms Executive: Olivia Barrows

Head of Digital Marketing: Carla Parry

Digital Marketing Lead: Katy Copson

Agency: NCA

Creative

Founder, CCO: Ian Heartfield

Executive Creative Directors: Dan Seager & Steve Hall

Creative Directors: Dan Bailey & Brad Woolf

Creatives: Katie Burrell & Andy Burrell 

Account Management:

CEO, Ogilvy UK Group: James Murphy

CEO, New Commercial Arts: Hannah White

Managing Partner: James Wilkinson

Business Director: Julia Pensabene

Account Director: Tobias Moynan

Senior Account Manager: Zahra Banday

Account Manager: Jeff Baker & Vicky Thompson

Planning:

Founder, Strategy: David Golding

CSO, New Commercial Arts: Matt Walters

Strategy Partner: Kim Walker

Senior Strategist: Cara van Rhyn

Creation, Design & Licensing:

CPO, Ogilvy UK Group: Matt Craigie Atherton

Senior Producer: Lucie Georgeson

Producer: Olive Andrews

Print Production Lead: Cara Swindell

Project Director: Sarah Bruce

Design & Artwork: King Henry Studios

Head of Design: Danny Tomkins

Designers: Jasmin Price, Christian Tunstall & Dan Forde

Artworkers: Bradley Baker & Sam Stabler

Project Managers: Cameron Henry & Yaz Mailoud

Animator: Darcy Lowe

Motion Producer: Cassia Henry

Social Cut Down Creative: NCA

Social Content Editor: Tom Lockwood

Social Producer: Kristina Evetts

Licensing of BFG: Born Licensing

Director: David Born

Director of Licensing: Amber Cheung

Licensing Executive: Alberto Massaro

RDSC:

Managing Director: Bernie Bhangoo

Head of Global Commercial Partnerships: Alice O'Brien

Head of Franchise: Lucy Appleby

Global Commercial Partnerships Manager: Jacob Dunn

Director, Business and Legal Affairs: Josephine Curry

Head of Communications: Katy Sykes

Production:

Production Co: Rogue Films

Director: Sam Brown

Producer: Polly Ruskin

Production Manager: Fran Resteghini

Exec Producer: Kate Taylor

DoP: Franz Lustig

Production Designer: Drogo Michie

Casting: Hammond Cox

Editing:

Editing Company: Final Cut

Editor: Amanda James     

Producer: Nikki Porter   

Post Production:                              

Post Production: Electric Theatre Collective

Colourist: Luke Morrison

VFX Supervisor: Iain Murray

On Set Supervisor: Ryan Knowles

CG Lead: Jack Powell

Creative Director: Michael Chapman

Animation Director: David Bryan

Comp Supervisors: Matt Thomas,Taran Spear

Compositing: George Gough, Jaison Kerai

DMP: Victoria Pascual

Lighting: Jordan Dunstall, Flavia Minnone

CG: Elliott Holland-Crouch, Joseph Dowling, Ria Banerjee, Bibin Panackal, Simon Luu, Kieran

Adams, Toby Elbourne-Cload

Animation: George Rigby, Zoe Furness, Harry McCusker-Bland, Andy Reid, Rachel Ward

FX: Dan Yargici, Harry Wilkinson, Alex Strickland, Ardahan Sernaz, Igor Velichko

Rigging: Nikolai Maderthoner, Clementine Lecluse

Executive Producer: Grace Thorpe

Production Coordinator: Emily Coyne

Audio:

Music Production: Manderley Music

Composer: Chris White

Producer: Sean Craigie-Atherton

Recorded at: Abbey Road Studios

Conductor: Andy Brown

Engineer and Mixer: Fiona Cruikshank

Orchestra: London Metropolitan Orchestra

Audio Post Production: King Lear Sound

Sound Designer: Jack Sedgwick

Audio Producer: Nat Curran