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With the help of direct and digital agency Tullo Marshall Warren (TMW), the campaign is designed to encourage customers to visit their local store and redeem coupons through December and into the new year. Sainsbury's wants to build Christmas shopping momentum but also to strike a balance by promoting the values of ‘quality, inspiration and value'. The campaign is also designed to encourage customers to try something new.

Said Mark Norman, of the Sainsbury's direct marketing team: "We will be hooking into the theme of party food - which is being carried through into above the line campaigns. The coupons included within the pack cover the main Christmas shopping weeks."

It was reported in ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 last week that the major supermarkets have increased spending during the six months to October. Asda increased spending by 52 per cent, Tesco by 18.8 per cent, Sainsbury's by 21.3 per cent and Morrison's by 15.2 per cent, according to research by Nielsen Media Research for The Daily Telegraph.

With the economic downturn hitting customers hard, price is a prime motivator and brands and retailers are using token and coupon-based promotions to drive footfall in stores.

But Jared Keen, managing director of ecouponing technology specialist, Couponstar, says that it's important to tailor campaigns to generate qualified databases, which can help to deliver long term gains.

"Advances in technology now provide a real insight into consumer response as well as increasing footfall in store. New concepts such as video vouchers offer retailers the chance to engage consumers further by showing them flash video creative prior to printing a voucher," he says.