Today, leading accessible health and beauty retailer, Superdrug, is proud to announce the return of its fundraising campaign for Operation Smile, giving customers across the UK the chance to help fund life-changing surgery and care for children born with cleft conditions.
Running from 12 August to 6 October 2026, the campaign will give customers the opportunity to make a 20p donation through Pennies at any Superdrug till. By simply tapping ‘YES’, customers can support Operation Smile’s life-changing work, with the campaign estimated to raise as much as £300,000.
Now in its second year, the Pennies partnership builds on the success of last year’s campaign, which raised more than £165,000 for Operation Smile. By making giving part of an everyday shop, Pennies offers customers a quick and simple way to contribute to important causes.
During the second half of the campaign, customers will have another way to show their support. For every Oral-B product sold in Superdrug stores, Superdrug and Procter & Gamble will each donate a further 10p to Operation Smile, adding 20p per product to the campaign’s overall impact.
Here’s how just a few pounds can make a meaningful difference:
· £2 can provide a colouring book for a child waiting for life-changing surgery
· £10 can provide a special feeding bottle to help a child get the vital nutrients they need
· £15 can help feed a malnourished child, giving them the strength they need for surgery
· £25 can provide six weeks of nutritional support to help a child get strong enough for surgery
· £50 can help a child with a cleft speak clearly with vital speech therapy
· £150 can help provide cleft surgery for a child, offering them a new smile and a new life
· £500 can help buy essential surgical equipment for a week-long surgical programme
· £625 can help fund training sessions for their surgical teams on the ground
· £750 can provide life-changing surgeries for children in desperate need
The impact of this support can be seen in the story of Lia, who was born with a cleft lip in a remote community in Guatemala, eight hours from the capital. Lia struggled to breastfeed and gain weight and was frequently ill. Her father, Gerardo, made repeated long journeys to seek care, but on three occasions Lia was not well enough to undergo surgery. Throughout this time, Operation Smile nutritionists supported her family with feeding advice to help her become stronger.
On the family’s fourth visit, following a comprehensive health evaluation, Lia was finally cleared for surgery. The procedure was a success, and she left the programme with a new smile and her father by her side, ready for a healthier and brighter future. Her story shows how donations support not only surgery, but also the nutrition, clinical expertise and ongoing care needed to make treatment possible.
The fundraising campaign forms part of Superdrug’s continued commitment to supporting children and families and helping make life-changing care more accessible.
Superdrug trading director, Megan Potter said: “We are delighted to bring our Pennies campaign for Operation Smile back for a second year and give customers simple ways to support their mission to transform the lives of children and families affected by cleft conditions. Tapping ‘YES’ to donate 20p takes just a moment, but when our customers come together, those small donations can have an extraordinary collective impact.”
Michael Straney, Operation Smile director of partnerships, said: “The generosity of Superdrug’s customers is making a real and lasting difference to children’s lives. Each 20p donation or Oral B product sold is helping us to directly fund life-changing surgery and care for children born with cleft conditions. No donation is too small; when people give together, the impact is nothing short of extraordinary.”
