Lights, Camera, Snack-tion! Three UK serves up Festive Loaded Popcorn

• Demand for new food craze surges by 76% in just two years, with Cardiff, Edinburgh, and London among the cities leading the indulgence
• With over half of Brits (57%) choosing loaded popcorn trend over traditional sweet or salted
• Three customers can enjoy festive loaded popcorn at selected Cineworld locations* this Friday, alongside £3 cinema tickets with the Three+ rewards app

Cinema snacks are officially stealing the show this festive season. New research from Three UK shows three-quarters of Brits (76%) indulge in more premium ‘loaded’ and upgraded snacks at the movies, with demand surging by a whopping 76% in just two years. To help meet demand for this food craze, mobile network Three has partnered with Cineworld to bringing exclusive new flavours of festive loaded popcorn to cinemas across the UK this Friday.

Ever since popcorn first appeared in UK cinemas in the 1930s**, snacks have been a central part of the cinema experience, and now loaded popcorn is taking things even further. Topped with sweet, savoury, or mix-and-match flavours, it’s truly a gourmet cinema treat. With over half of Brits (57%) now choosing premium loaded popcorn over the traditional sweet or salted, it’s no wonder almost three-in four (72%) film fans admit they look forward to their treats as much as the movie itself.

Movie-goers can sample three festive creations inspired by classic cinema favourites, alongside their £3 Cineworld cinema tickets exclusively for Three customers from Friday to Sunday with the Three+ rewards app – giving customers even more to enjoy:

The festive loaded popcorn line-up includes:

• The Pop Dog – salted popcorn with chunks of chopped up frankfurter sausages, with crispy dried fried onion, topped with American mustard and cranberry sauce
• Nacho Average – salted popcorn with cheese sauce, jalapeño bits, plus cranberry sauce and a dash of nutmeg
• Pick ‘n’ Mix – sweet popcorn loaded with classic pick ‘n’ mix favourites, featuring ‘Three’ candy canes and drizzled with indulgent chocolate sauce

Just like Three’s festive loaded popcorn menu, UK snackers are getting more adventurous; most Brits (79%) would happily mix in chocolate or sweets, over half (56%) prefer to pair their popcorn with savoury toppings like nacho cheese, while almost a quarter (17%) would go the whole hog and add hot dog pieces to their snack.

Popcorn remains at the heart of Brits’ cinema experience, with over three-quarters (77%) of adults recalling its smell or taste as a key part of visiting the movies, and two thirds (66%) admit they can’t enjoy a trip without it. For some, the moment is worth capturing, with a third (33%) snapping a photo of their popcorn before tucking in, while others (22%) see their treat as a small reward that makes their experience feel even more special.

So, whether you’re a sweet tooth or a savoury snacker, Three’s festive loaded popcorn is proof that this year, the real blockbuster is what’s in your tub. Beyond cinema treats, Three gives customers even more ways to enjoy the little moments, with Three+ perks from some of the UK’s biggest brands, including £1 weekly coffees and £3 weekend cinema tickets at Cineworld.

The festive loaded popcorn will be available exclusively to Three customers at Cineworld cinemas in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh on Friday 12^th December*. To claim, customers simply need to download and register with Three+ rewards. Then show the app and their Cineworld ticket to Three’s usherettes, giving movie fans even more to enjoy at the movies.

For more information about Three+ rewards visit www.three.co.uk/threeplus

• What: A festive loaded popcorn experience to reward customers with even more this Christmas thanks to the Three+ rewards app
• When: Friday 12 December from 11am until stocks last
• Where:
  
  1. Cineworld London Leicester Square – 5-6 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7NA
  2. Cineworld Cardiff – Mary Ann St, Cardiff CF10 2EN
  3. Cineworld Edinburgh – 130, 3 Dundee St, Edinburgh EH11 1AF
• Cost: Free, first come first serve

*Terms and Conditions

• Must be 18+ to redeem; valid ID may be required.
• Festive loaded popcorn is available exclusively to Three customers at Cineworld London Leicester Square, Cineworld Cardiff and Cineworld Edinburgh cinemas on 12^th December between 11am – 4pm, while stocks last
• The offer can only be redeemed by showing a logged in Three+ app and cinema ticket in participating Cineworld cinemas only; no other method of redemption is valid. Locations subject to change. No responsibility can be accepted for technical issues preventing redemption,
• One portion per customer, available on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last; limited quantities available at participating locations.
• Offer is non-transferable and may not be resold or exchanged.
• Three and Cineworld reserve the right to withdraw or amend the offer at any time without prior notice.
• Images shown are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect the exact product served.
• The offer is a collaboration between Three and Cineworld; Cineworld is not responsible for the operation of the Three+ app or the redemption process.
• Three and Cineworld are not responsible for any loss, damage, or injury arising from participation in this offer.

**1930s Butterkist arrives in Blighty where cinema goers and American soldiers can’t get enough

Consumer research of 2,000 British adults 18+ years old, was conducted by 3Gem Research and Insights between 21^st – 25^th November 2025.

About Three UK

Three launched in 2003 as the UK’s first 3G only network. Today, Three’s network covers 99% of the UK population, carries 36% of the UK’s mobile data traffic (Enders Analysis, Q2 2025) and has been recognised as the UK’s Fastest 5G Network (Ookla Speedtest Awards, Q1-Q2 2025).

Three UK is a proud partner of Samaritans, using its network and technology to connect one million people to emotional support.

Three UK is one of the brands of recently merged VodafoneThree, which is the UK’s largest mobile provider. VodafoneThree is investing £11bn in building the UK’s best network, delivering reliable, quality connectivity to all communities – from big cities to small towns, and everywhere in between – reaching 99.95% population coverage by 2034.

As a result of the merger, Vodafone and Three customers get more coverage, faster speeds and fewer not spots. Devices automatically connect to the best coverage available – whether that’s on the Vodafone or Three network – effectively giving them access to two networks at no extra cost.

www.three.co.uk

www.vodafonethree.com