The cross-industry grouping Cinema First, representing both UK cinema operators and film distributors, has announced the agreement with the price comparison company comparethemarket.com of a five-year extension to the ground-breaking Meerkat Movies cinema ticket promotion.
The offer – which allows eligible customers of the company to receive a free ticket to go to the cinema on a Tuesday or Wednesday each week for a year – has run since 2015 and is now the longest-running offer of its type in the UK, and generally considered to be the largest such promotion anywhere in the World. .
Since its introduction into the UK market, over 44 million cinema admissions have resulted from the offer, with comparethemarket.com estimating that those involved have saved around £162 million as a result.
Over 80 per cent of UK cinemas participate in the offer, ranging from the largest national multiplex operators to a wide range of smaller local sites.
Welcoming news of this latest contract extension, Iain Jacob, Chair of Cinema First, said:
“Meerkat Movies is one of those rare and precious collaborations that benefits all; audiences get to see amazing films for less, the programme brings magic to the comparethemarket brand and the cinema sector reaches yet more people in the UK. We are delighted that Meerkat Movies goes from strength to strength and is here to stay.”