Sainsbury's takes recipe ideas to Twitter

by Elizabeth Clifford-Marsh, revolutionmagazine.com 02-Nov-09, 14:48

LONDON - Sainsbury's is launching a new Twitter feed today aiming to inspire people to try out new recipes.

The account @sainsburys will post meal ideas and has asked followers to share their cooking inspiration.

Sainsburys has also operated @JSainsburysPlc since March, although it has only been updated nine times. It shares company news and some in-store promotions.

The supermarket's celebrity spokesman Jamie Oliver is a prolific tweeter, building a following of over 220,000 Twitter users. @jamie_oliver shares recipes from his various cookbooks, photos and responds to feedback from amateur cooks.

Competitor Tesco runs several Twitter accounts, communicating recruitment information, diet tips and store promotions, although @tescostores has only made two tweets since April.

In comparison, Asda (@asda) and Waitrose (@WaitroseUK) both interact regularly with customers on Twitter, promoting in-store deals and inviting feedback on products and services.

According to Mintel, 11 per cent of UK shoppers buy groceries online regularly, but 56 per cent have never tried it.