If you're a Sainsbury's shopper, then you may have heard that the supermarket has just rolled out discount prices that are exclusive to its members.
Sainsbury's is the latest retailer to launch an incentive for customers to shop for less with Nectar Prices. Having launched last week, the programme offers cardholders a range of savings and discounts on select items when they shop in-store and online.
As a bid to help households save money across thousands of items, Sainsbury's scheme has been compared to a longstanding version by one of its direct rivals - Tesco Clubcard.
With money a huge concern for many during the cost of living crisis, making savings when you shop is as important as ever.
So when Shopping Writer Rachel Williams headed out to the shops last weekend, she decided to compare the two loyalty schemes. Could the new Nectar Prices really offer shoppers discounts that rival Tesco's popular Clubcard programme?
Was Sainsbury's Nectar or Tesco Clubcard the cheapest?
With certain staples and general household items seeing some of the biggest price increases this year due to inflation, I decided to compare the prices of 10 basic items from each scheme.
I found that Nectar Prices and Tesco Clubcard don't cover the exact same products, so I did my best to find items that were either the same or similar to make the comparison fair.
Sainsbury's Nectar vs Clubcard prices for shopping basics
Heinz Baked Beanz
- Sainsbury's: 95p
- Tesco: 2 for £2.50 (£1.25 each)
Heinz Pasta Sauce
- Sainsbury's: £1.50
- Tesco: £1.50
Hellmann's Mayonnaise
- Sainsbury's: £3.25
- Tesco: £3.50
McVitie's Dark Chocolate Digestives
- Sainsbury's: £1.25
- Tesco: £1.75
Tinned Tomatoes, 4 pack
- Sainsbury's: £2.25
- Tesco: £3
Napolina Spaghetti, 500g
- Both £1.25
Pringles
- Sainsbury's: £1.25
- Tesco: £1.80
Coca-Cola
- Sainsbury's: £1.50
- Tesco: 2 for £3 (£1.75 each)
Fairy Laundry Scent Boosters, 320g
- Both £5
Lynx Anti-Perspirant
- Sainsbury's: £3
- Tesco: £3.50
Sainsbury's Nectar total: £21.20
Tesco Clubcard total: £24.75
Difference in prices: £3.55
Sainsbury's Nectar Prices
When looking at the cost of these basics, it seems that Sainsbury's new Nectar Prices has emerged as a competitor to Tesco Clubcard.
Seven out of the 10 items, which were either exactly the same brand or weight, were actually cheaper for Nectar card members, meaning shoppers would save more money overall. Only the Heinz Pasta Sauce and Fairy Laundry Scent Boosters had the same price tag.
There are a few downsides - the selection of Nectar Prices is quite limited so far. The supermarket has said that there are thousands of items reduced, but I found the vast majority to be on cupboard staples as no meat, fresh fruit or veg were included in the deal.
Another con is that Nectar Prices is currently only available in larger Sainsbury's stores and not Sainsbury's Local shops or petrol stations.
Tesco Clubcard
While Tesco's Clubcard scheme has proven to be popular with shoppers over the years, it didn't manage to match the prices that I found in the Sainsbury's Nectar Prices.
There were a few more multi-deals which could be found on the Baked Beanz and Coca-Cola, but when dividing the amount of each in the offer, the individual price was still higher than that of the Nectar Prices.
On the other hand, Tesco's Clubcard scheme is infinitely more broad and covers much more items in-store. Whether it be chilled produce, fruit and vegetables or cupboard staples, there is a lot more variety to choose from, making it easier to complete a full shop.
Final thoughts
Sainsbury's Nectar Prices has definitely emerged as a decent loyalty scheme for shoppers who are looking to save a bit of money.
Promos for both schemes are instantly recognisable in-store, so you can't miss them, but the main difference I found was that Sainsbury's Nectar Prices were that bit cheaper.
Even with the Clubcard multi-buy deals on the Heinz Baked Beanz and Coca-Cola, Sainsbury's new scheme emerged as the more affordable option.
That being said, I found Nectar Prices to be quite limited to just cupboard staples and it doesn't quite measure up to Tesco Clubcard selection. Shoppers are able to find deals in-store and online on a much broader selection of produce, making it easier to complete a full shop, which could lead to higher savings.
However, Sainsbury's has confirmed it plans to expand Nectar Prices even further into more categories, so there is scope for further savings to be made.
Based on this overview of grocery essentials, I'm impressed by how the new Nectar Prices have proven to be cheaper than the long-running Tesco Clubcard prices.
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