Smiles on Sainsbury’s Shelves: Mood Bears Launch with Feel-Good Competition for World Mental Health Day

Mood Bears, the colourful companions designed to help families talk about emotions, are now available in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide. To celebrate their arrival, and to mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October, the brand is launching a feel good competition with prizes including two tickets to Disneyland Paris or a £100 Sainsbury’s voucher.

“This year, the theme of World Mental Health Day is ‘overwhelm,’ which touches many of us,” said Jo Proud, founder of Mood Bears. “Children are under increasing pressure at school, adults are juggling work and family life, and many of us rarely pause to ask how we’re really feeling. Just as fruit and veg fuel our bodies, emotional check-ins fuel our minds. By putting Mood Bears into Sainsbury’s, we’re making it easy for families to top up their mental wellbeing alongside the weekly shop. It’s a simple reminder that looking after our feelings should be as natural as filling the fridge.”

Mood Bears are a collection of eight brightly coloured soft toys, each representing a different mood, including Happy, Hopeful, Sad, and Angry. Every bear comes with its own pocket poem, designed to help children and adults put feelings into words and encourage conversations about emotions. Already trusted in homes, schools, workplaces, and hospitals across the UK, the bears are proving to be simple but powerful tools for building emotional resilience.

Beyond retail, Mood Bears partners with fostering agencies such as Fostering South West, schools nationwide, and hospitals to ensure their companions reach children who need them most, offering comfort during life transitions, empowering students to explore emotional literacy, and bringing reassurance to children undergoing medical treatment.

While 10 October highlights mental health awareness, Mood Bears’ message extends beyond a single day: a Mood Bear is for life. They are year-round companions that help children and adults alike express emotions, build resilience, and feel supported.

Jo added: “We’d love as many families as possible to join in this competition. Pick up a bear, talk about how you’re feeling, and you might win something magical. Every mood matters, and sometimes a hug says more than words. Everyone deserves to feel supported and loved, not just on World Mental Health Day, but every day.”

Running until 31 October 2025, the competition invites shoppers to find a Mood Bear in a Sainsbury’s store, buy it, snap it, share it on the Mood Bears social media pages and complete this form https://form.jotform.com/252792741984370

Winners will be chosen at random within five days of the competition closing.

Competition Terms & Conditions

The competition runs from 01/10/25 – 31/10/25.
Open to UK residents aged 18+.
Winners will be chosen at random from all eligible entries.
Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable, and no cash alternative is available.
Winners must provide proof that their Mood Bear purchase has not been returned.

About Mood Bears

Mood Bears are award-winning plush toys and books designed to support emotional and mental well-being. Created by Jo Proud following her own mental health journey, the brand gained national recognition on BBC’s Dragons’ Den where all five Dragons invested, a first in this rare achievement.

The collection features eight bears in vibrant colours, each representing different emotions with accompanying poems to facilitate conversations about feelings. Used in homes, schools and care settings, Mood Bears are backed by research showing positive outcomes for emotional development.

84% of parents report improved emotional recognition; 89% saw reduced anxiety in children

Now part of the TOMY Europe family, Mood Bears has licensing partnerships including Hunter Price International, with expansion planned across stationery, accessories and gifting categories, and Igloo Books.

For more information go to https://moodbears.com/