Symbol group Spar UK has relaunched its website to push its community involvement and champion its investment in athletics sponsorship.

The site, Spar.co.uk, will promote the retailer’s sponsorship of UK and European Athletics in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics in London. It will include fitness tips, healthy eating information and athletics-inspired resources for schools to download for their sports days.

Spar has also spruced up its recipe section. At present the website has 50 recipes and a new one will be added every week. There are hints and tips about how to use food left lying around in shoppers’ store cupboards such as tins of tuna, and advice on choosing seasonal foods.

In the wine section, Spar offers advice from its Masters of Wine, including tips on food matching, tasting and a wine style guide.

Spar UK head of marketing support Adam Margolin said the changes are the first step on what will be the retailer’s three-year “digital journey”. He highlighted elements such as “In the community”, which focuses on fundraising projects, and “Need a distraction”, which includes competitions, exclusive offers and games.

He said: “The website will be continually updated over the coming year to ensure that it stays fresh and it will also serve as an important contact point for retailers interested in joining Spar.”