Co-op and Costa Coffee make their Weatherfield debuts in Coronation Street partnership

Retailers Costa Coffee and the Manchester-based Co-op have marked the official opening of their Weatherfield stores, toasting the start of their product placement deals on Britain’s longest running soap, Coronation Street.

The landmark deal with the programme will see Co-op and Costa Coffee store fronts appear on screens this Friday, April 27, as part of the new extended Weatherfield set.

As well as the shop fronts, viewers will see other branded assets such as posters, bags and cups integrated across the iconic soap.

The event was attended by senior stakeholders from both businesses.

Eric Tavoukdjian, Costa Coffee commercial marketing director, said: “This innovative partnership with ITV has been some time in the making and we are thrilled to see the shop front looking fantastic on the iconic cobbles of Coronation Street.

“As the nation’s favourite coffee shop with a presence on the UK high street for more than 40 years, it’s a great fit to have a place on one of Britain’s favourite and most iconic soaps.”

Alison Jones, customer director at Co-op, said: “Our partnership with ITV has been an exciting time for the whole team and we are delighted to officially unveil our Weatherfield Co-op store.

“Coronation Street is all about community life and the Co-op is a retailer at the heart of local life and being close to the customer and we are delighted to be able to serve the residents of this iconic street.”

Winners of internal competitions from both Co-op and Costa Coffee became managers for the day of the Weatherfield respective brands’ stores and took part in the ribbon cutting with bosses.

Honorary Costa Weatherfield store manager for the day, Kayley Atherton, store manager from the Middlebrook Costa Coffee store in Bolton, said: “I am a big fan of the show and hugely passionate about Costa Coffee, so I was thrilled to be the one to cut the ribbon and officially open the store.”

Mark Trinder, ITV sales director, said: “This is the biggest product placement partnership ever on British TV and I’m really excited for it to be unveiled on screen to viewers as part of Coronation Street’s new set extension.

“The store fronts look incredible thanks to the work of both Costa and Co-op and Coronation Street’s fantastic design and production teams.”