Supermarket offers free snacks as food bills soar

MORRISONS has teamed up with Warburtons to offer free crumpets to customers facing rising food bills this Easter.

The ‘Ask for Ellen’ campaign will provide free toasted crumpets with butter and jam to anyone who asks for Ellen - no questions asked. An estimated 100,000 portions of two crumpets will be available for free across all 397 Morrisons cafes from Monday (25) until April 14.

Named after Warburtons’ founder, Ellen Warburton, the Ask for Ellen initiative is back for the second year running, following its success during the school summer holidays and autumn half-term in 2023 when families across the UK received 300,000 portions of crumpets.

“As families continue to feel the financial pinch heading into the Easter break, we’re looking forward to providing a little support for those who might need it,” said Jonathan Warburton, chairman of Warburtons. New research from The Warburtons Foundation revealed that over six million families notice an increase in their weekly shopping bill during school holidays.

An overwhelming 82 per cent of these parents spend more on snacks to keep up with demand from their children.

The research, commissioned by The Warburtons Foundation, surveyed 2,000 parents of schoolaged children and found that, on average, children ask their parents for a snack three times a day during the school holidays.

More than a third (35 per cent) of parents said they had to go shopping more often to keep their children satisfied. Warburtons and Morrisons are offering families colouring and activity sheets alongside their free crumpets. Children will have the chance to enter their art into a competition to win Morrisons shopping vouchers and a Warburtons hamper.

“We are thrilled to announce we are once again partnering with Warburtons throughout the Easter break to give away more delicious crumpets in our cafés,” said Chris Strong, Morrisons café buying manager.