Residents from a retirement home in Burton were celebrating after a supermarket giant agreed to join their campaign to help and support older shoppers.

Staff and residents from Anchor's Vicarage Fields sheltered housing scheme, in St Peter's Court, were delighted to get the backing of two Sainsbury's stores in support of their national Standing Up 4 Sitting Down (su4sd) campaign.

So far, more than 600 Sainsbury's stores have joined the scheme which is calling for retailers to maintain the amount of seating available in-store so that older and disabled people, pregnant women or anyone who needs to can rest mid-shop.

The campaign was launched after research found that 69 per cent of people aged over 70 said the amount of seating in public places across the country was falling, while 66 per cent believe the lack of seating in shopping areas is a problem.

So far more than 600 branches of the supermarket giant have got on board

Tracey O'Sullivan, manager of Vicarage Fields, said: "It is great that 600 Sainsbury’s branches across the country, including the two local to us, will support the Standing Up 4 Sitting Down campaign.

"Older people are often cut off from the online world, so it is crucial we enable them to connect in other ways.

"Anchor’s campaign calls for change that benefits everyone.

"For shops, providing seating is a great opportunity to boost footfall and spending.

"For older people, it offers the opportunity for important social contact to tackle loneliness, encourages physical exercise, and allows a generation the chance to live later life to its fullest."

Shoppers visiting the Sainsbury’s stores in Union Street and Civic Way, which will be displaying the su4sd sticker, are encouraging older people to use the seating by the tills.

Clare Muscutt, head of customer experience at Sainsbury's, said: "We work hard to make our supermarkets an inclusive and welcoming environment for customers.

"We provide chairs at the back of our checkouts for anyone that would find them useful, as well as offering assistance at all times to customers who may need additional help shopping in store with us.

"We fully support the Standing Up 4 Sitting Down campaign and hope customers will make use of this seating when they visit our supermarkets."

The su4sd campaign has also been supported by Debenhams, Hotter shoe shops, and more than 200 independent retailers across England.

More than 15 charities and several MPs and the former Chancellor George Osborne have also pledged their support to the campaign.