It’s nice to feel valued.
Whether it’s a commendation from your boss or a special treat from friends or family, a little nod in acknowledgement of your efforts is a spirit lifter. So why should shopping be any different?
Loyalty programmes have been in the UK since the mid-20th century: the Co-op kicked things off with Dividend tokens that could be exchanged for cash. The idea came across the pond from American cousins (where the first version of a loyalty scheme began in 1773!) and soon everyone from Tesco to Boots launched their own loyalty schemes.
According to digital card maker Swype, some 85 per cent of UK households are linked to at least one loyalty programme today. Mintel backs this, albeit at a slightly lower figure of 80 per cent. It means that even if you don’t belong to a scheme, the chances of you knowing someone who does is high.
Being rewarded with special perks or incentives just for spending - a genius marketing concept to get the average person to spend more at a specific shop. If you’re a regular patron at a retailer anyway, what’s to lose? You score freebies and the store banks bigger profits. Everyone wins.
While physical plastic cards are fast becoming extinct thanks to apps - they can't be lost or stolen as easily and won't bend your cardholder all out of shape - collecting points digitally means that rewards can be tailored to specific tastes, especially when it comes to supermarket shopping. As the cost of living crisis continues to burden our finances, who wouldn’t welcome a little reward now and again?
With so many loyalty programmes jostling for your Sterling, it can be challenging to know which to go for, even though they’re free. To help, we’ve rounded up the best and most popular schemes below, decoding each one to see if they live up to the hype.
We’ve listed them in alphabetical order but given them a rating out of 1 - 5 with 5 being the best.
American Express Avios
- Type: credit card
- Rating: 4
Credit cards like Amex also offer loyalty schemes, but you must apply for a card first.
The bonus is that you can collect and use points at an array of well-known retailers, so you're not tied to just one shop. You can even buy experiences like gig tickets; Amex is a BST Summertime sponsor.
Amex is probably best known for dishing out Avios, a global loyalty currency accepted by British Airways to earn flight discounts or upgrades. The biggest draw is that if you spend a certain amount on your Amex card in a year, you could collect a Companion Voucher Reward Flight to use at BA, where you can either have a friend fly with you for free or get a half-price flight using Avios. Avios can also be used on selected hotel stays.
Is it worth it? If you're already a credit card holder, switching to Amex can earn you rewards without being tied to a certain retailer. It's a point for every Pound spent, but you can boost this baseline offering by signing up to more premium Amex cards (which usually come with an annual fee). If you run a small business, regularly entertain clients or love the idea of travel discounts for everyday shopping, Avios points can rack up very quickly.
Buy now, American Express
Asda Rewards
- Type: groceries
- Rating: 4/5
Sign up for supermarket Asda's rewards scheme online or download the app to get started. Collecting Rewards Pounds to go into a ‘Cashpot' which you can then redeem for vouchers to spend in-store. Asda also sets Missions - incentives on buying certain things like cleaning products - to boost your pot. And if you shop the Star Products, Asda will reward you with up to 10 per cent.
You can convert up to £100 of your Cashpot into vouchers. If you're a regular Asda shopper, this should build up quite quickly. You don't even have to go into an Asda branch to collect points: you'll get them automatically when shopping online.
Is it worth it? If you’re a routine Asda shopper, this is a great way to get money off future shops, especially if you let your Cashpot build up for a major event like a wedding, birthday or Christmas. But you can’t use vouchers anywhere else, unlike competitor Tesco.
Buy now, Asda
B&Q Club
- Type: Home Improvement
- Rating: 2/5
It's a pretty standard deal over at DIY chain B&Q. Spend in-store and make sure you hand over your B&Q Club card at the till to collect points. You'll receive a £5 voucher when spending £30+ with further vouchers emailed to you. Signing up also means you can discounts on in-store key-cutting or Hertz van hires.
Is it worth it? If you're in the midst of a huge home renovation or you work in the building or decorating trades, then sure. You'll keep costs down on tools and materials you need frequently. For the average shopper, we suspect it will come down to whether you want to give up phone storage for the app.
Buy now, B&Q
Blank Street
- Type: coffee
- Rating: 3
Branches of Blank Street are popping up everywhere in London and Manchester. If you haven't dropped by and you love coffee, it's only a matter of time before you will. The loyalty programme is kept clean and simple with a point per eligible item on orders placed via the app or at the counter. Hit 10 points and you can claim an item on the house.
The US-owned chain also offers Blank Street Regulars, a paid-for membership that allows you to claim 14 drinks a week for just £12. The waitlist is full at the moment - a testament to its popularity - but you can sign up for alerts when it opens again.
Is it worth it? If there's a Blank Street close to your home or office, signing up for the loyalty scheme is a no-brainer. Since points expire after 12 months, this is best for coffee fans who go all the time.
Buy now, Blank Street
Boots Advantage Card
- Type: beauty, optical and pharmacy
- Rating: 4.5/5
One of the UK's most popular loyalty schemes, Boots has been operating its Advantage Card club since 1997. It rewards shoppers with four points for every £1 spent (each point is a penny), and since May 2023, gives a 10 per cent instant discount on many of its own-brand products. New users get a 200 bonus for signing up - a great incentive to join the retailer's 17 million members.
Members also get discounts on certain products, helping money go further on everyday items as well as luxury splurges.
Is it worth it? Considering the range of products Boots offers - baby, beauty, food, pharmacy and even optical, all of which you can bag points on - this is one of the best loyalty schemes in the UK. If you're a beauty buff, you need this card, especially considering the luxury and big brand names that Boots now offers - think Prada Beauty, Fenty, Kiehl's, KVD Beauty and more. You must use the physical or digital card at least once a year to keep your points balance intact.
Buy now, Boots
Co-op
- Type: groceries
- Rating: 4/5
Shop at Co-op? You've probably seen its Membership adverts scattered around the store. You can join on the app, on its website or in-store to get lower prices on groceries and personalised offers for your household essentials. You can even get first refusal on Co-op Live gig tickets.
A unique feature is that as a Member, you can elect to spend the company's profits on local causes and chime in on products and services.
Another bonus? You'll save across the Co-op family of business - think legal, insurance and funeral as well as food shopping.
Is it worth it? This is a mindful loyalty programme because the Co-op is owned by its members. If you want to have a say in how one of the country's biggest supermarkets is run, this is a good one to join.
Buy now, Co-op
Sainsbury’s Nectar
- Type: groceries
- Rating: 3.5/5
Supermarket chain Sainsbury's is part of the Nectar network (which also includes Argos, British Airways and eBay), which means you have more options where to spend your points.
The loyalty card collects Nectar points on your shopping, while also unlocking discounts and Nectar Prices exclusively for members. You can fill out a registration form online or in-store but the easiest way to sign up is through the app where you can link your online Sainsbury's account too.
Is it worth it? Being able to use reward Nectar points across retailers offers a degree of freedom... but the value isn't amazing. You'll get one point for every £1 spent on qualifying products and litre of fuel at Saino's petrol stations, but 500 points equals just £2.50 which is double the points for the same value at Tesco.
Buy now, Sainsbury’s
Tesco Clubcard
- Type: groceries
- Rating: 5
It's been around for nearly 30 years and with some 21 million subscribers, is the most popular supermarket loyalty scheme in the UK.
Free to join, the Clubcard unlocks discounts - sometimes ridiculously deep - on a range of selected products in-store and online (you can't miss those bright yellow Clubcard Prices stickers). Every Pound spent earns you a point worth a penny; let them collect over a quarter and you will be sent personalised vouchers to spend at the store.
But you'll get double the reward for your points by spending them at one of Tesco's Clubcard partners, which include Disney Plus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Legoland Windsor, Pizza Express, National Express, Royal Caribbean and Intrepid Travel.
Clubcard points and vouchers are all on the accompanying app, making them easy to find.
Is it worth it? For the in-store discounts at Tesco alone, it's worth signing up to the loyalty scheme. In terms of reward vouchers, they do seem very much geared towards families with plenty of ways to keep kids entertained which is helpful at any time of year.
Buy now, Tesco
Waitrose myWaitrose
- Type: groceries
- Rating: 3/5
Upmarket grocer Waitrose was late to the loyalty scheme game, only launching myWaitrose in 2011. Back then, it offered members exclusive competitions and offers rather than points but relaunched the scheme in February 2022 with improvements.
The card, which can be paired with John Lewis' sister rewards programme, now offers personalised vouchers based on your shopping plus various discounts on selected items.
Make a purchase in-store and you can walk out with a free hot drink from the self-service machines (but you'll have to bring your own cup).
Is it worth it? Compared to other grocers where you earn points, Waitrose's scheme is lacking. That said, the app is packed with recipe ideas, discounts and competitions, so if you're shopping there anyway or want a free drink with an afternoon snack, it's worth a download.
Buy now, Waitrose
