Co-operative food store makes the cut in Hollywood film

The Co-operative Group has hit the big time as one of its stores is featured in “Arthur Christmas”, the 3-D animated children’s comedy film produced by Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Columbia Pictures.

The film tells the tale about Santa's son, Arthur Christmas, who must complete an important mission before Christmas morning. Arthur, who has to deliver a forgotten Christmas present to a little girl from Cornwall before she wakes up on Christmas Day, is pictured cycling furiously past a Co-operative Food store as he races against time. The producers chose to feature a Co-operative store because they wanted to demonstrate a typical English high street with a community feel.

Featuring the voices of James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Ashley Jensen, the film grossed £2.5 million in its first weekend on release in the UK, mirroring its success in Tinseltown and throughout America.