High street chemist Boots is revamping its loyalty scheme from May, with some major changes in the pipeline for customers.
The good news is that the retailer's 17m Advantage Card holders will now receive 10% discount when they shop for Boots own-brand products with the loyalty card, but the loyalty points shoppers earn when they use the card are being cut by 25%. The Boots loyalty card has always been one of the most generous and simple loyalty schemes since it was launched in 1997 and will remain so, although the four points for every £1 spent will reduce to three points as part of the shake-up. Each point is worth around 1p and by comparison, you’ll earn one Clubcard point for every £1 you spend in Tesco, with each point again being worth 1p.
The changes will kick in from early May, although the exact date has not yet been released. However, some will still be able to get more points if they're signed up to certain schemes., such as over-60s receiving eight points for every £1 spent on Boots branded products and Boots Parenting Club members also getting eight points for every £1 spent on baby items. The current rule that you have to have enough points to cover the whole purchase will stay in force.
Boots, which has more than 2,200 stores in the UK. has also said it will give customers that there will be "more opportunities" to earn double or extra points with new promotions and campaigns and it is intending to expand its "Price Advantage" initiative to over 800 products each month, offering shoppers up to a third off specific items.
According to the retailer's data, 70% of Advantage Card members regularly shop from its own-brand range, accounting for one in five items in their baskets. The new 10% discount, which will be applied at the point of sale, should go some way towards making up for the lower Advantage points, although certain products are excluded from the deal, such as pharmaceuticals and Boots-exclusive brands, such as No7 and Liz Earle. Boots said it had seen a 35% increase in sales of its own brand products like its Boots Everyday range in the first few months of the year.
One little-known perk of the Advantage Card, the ability to collect double points in your birthday month, remains, however, from May this will only be six points per £1 spent, rather than the current eight points per £1 spent.
Pete Markey, chief marketing officer at Boots, said: "Boots Advantage Card is one of the original and most generous loyalty programmes, and now we are making it better - to fit our customers changing needs and the way they now want to shop.
"Customers want to be rewarded with on-the-spot lower prices and instant value. We’ve also noticed that Advantage Card members are now more frequently using their points to buy essentials instead of saving them up, we’ve listened and have expanded the scheme to give more instant reward, immediate value and lower prices."
According to Money Saving Expert, the Price Advantage will be expanded to over 800 products each month with up to a third off. Under this scheme, which launched last year, Advantage Card-holders can get exclusive discounts on everyday items when they shop in store or online.
There will also be more opportunities and promotions to earn extra points through the Boots app. Boots told MSE this would include a new "scratch to win" function in the app, but hasn't confirmed exactly how this will work yet. The retailer has also confirmed its £10 Tuesdays, where certain items are discounted to £10, and Freebie Friday offer, where selected items are buy-one-get-one-free, are both staying.
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