Tesco is giving away free pre-carved pumpkins in 10 selected UK stores starting Thursday, October 22, with the promotion running until Saturday, October 31.
Shoppers at participating stores can pick up a Halloween-ready pumpkin while doing their regular shopping, with two designs available: The Eclipse and the classic Halloween jack o' lantern.
Where and when to get the free pumpkins
The pumpkins will be available at each store for one afternoon, on a first-come, first-served basis from 3 to 5pm, with the exception of Sunday, October 25, at Tesco Nottingham Top Valley Extra, where they will be available from 2 to 4pm.
The giveaway will be available while stocks last and no in-store purchase is necessary, the supermarket confirmed.
The 10 participating stores are:
- Thursday October 22: Tesco Risca Extra
- Friday October 23: Tesco Cheltenham Superstore
- Saturday October 24: Tesco New Oscott Extra
- Sunday October 25: Tesco Nottingham Top Valley Extra
- Monday October 26: Tesco Sheffield Extra
- Tuesday October 27: Tesco Stockport Extra
- Wednesday October 28: Tesco York Tadcaster Road Extra
- Thursday October 29: Tesco Middlesbrough Coulby Newham
- Friday October 30: Tesco Newcastle Upon Tyne Extra
- Saturday October 31: Tesco Edinburgh Corstorphine Extra
Designs and research behind the giveaway
The limited-edition collection includes The Eclipse, inspired by one of 2026's most memorable moments, alongside the classic jack o' lantern. The Eclipse design captures the moon's journey across the sun and includes a playful nod to the glasses used by people watching the celestial event.
The designs were created by professional carvers who spent more than 50 hours sketching four designs inspired by major key moments of 2026.
The giveaway follows new research showing that despite pumpkin carving being one of the favourite traditions for almost half the population, just over a third (36%) of Brits say they would appreciate a little help with pumpkin design.
The research, conducted by Censuswide among a sample of 2,000 UK adults aged 18 and over, with data collected between September 24 and September 28, found that over a quarter (28%) of Brits feel pressure to carve a pumpkin good enough to proudly display on the doorstep, while a third (33%) want their decorations to look as good as their neighbours'.
Other pumpkin options and stencils
Lack of carving skills (26%), the mess pumpkin carving creates (19%) or simply not feeling creative enough (19%) are putting a dampener on pumpkin carving plans for Halloween lovers, Tesco said.
In addition, over three-quarters of parents (78%) agree that they love seeing their little ones' creativity come to life, but over a third (37%) admit they would rather have a more polished pumpkin on their doorstep.
For those who still prefer to carve their own, Tesco has made available a free stencil of The Eclipse that can be downloaded. The supermarket also has a range of other pumpkins that can be purchased for carving, from mini munchkin pumpkins to classic large pumpkins, with prices starting at 55p.
Shoppers can also pick up other Halloween items in stores, including costumes, decorations, sweets and party food.
