Mars has kicked off a new phase of support for its iconic bar with an on-pack promotion giving away free footballs.

Wrappers feature a unique code which shoppers text or check online to find out if they have won. One million footballs will be given away during the promotional period, with the odds of winning roughly one in 20. Everyone who enters receives a voucher for a free Just Play session at their local sports centre.

The promotion is part of Mars’ ongoing relationship with the Football Association, where it has Official Supporter status, and the footballs are of level 2 training standard and feature unique designs in Mars colours designed by England players themselves. Wayne Rooney, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gary Cahill feature on a range of pos material supporting the offer. Alternative pos material and a selection of footballs without the FA crest are available in Scotland.

The promotion runs across all pack formats. Mars Bar brand is the number one “substantial bar” in the UK, with annual sales of over £96m.

Mars Chocolate trade communications manager Bep Dhaliwal said: “With a successful six year history working with the England football team, we’re proud to continue our partnership with the FA and enter another exciting year for the team, who have won every game so far in their bid to qualify for Euro 2016. Our giveaway looks to generate even more opportunities for retailers to capture the attention of customers with excitement in-store.”