How will the Tesco Clubcard voucher changes affect me?
A change in Tesco's Clubcard policy that comes into effect today could see customers spending more on their groceries.
From Tuesday 18 April, the supermarket giant's existing Clubcard app will close down and will be replaced with a new Tesco Clubcard and Grocery app.
Customers will need to download the new app to continue earning points as they shop.
The revamped app will work in the same way as the one they may be familiar with, but customers will need to re-login to their account to continue earning points.
Customers can however continue to use their physical Clubcard.
It comes just weeks after Tesco announced the value of its Clubcard rewards vouchers would be slashed despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
In March, the company announced its Clubcard points will be worth twice their value when customers cash them in, rather than three times as they are now, from June 14.
The adjustment comes after Boots tweaked its loyalty card's terms and conditions in March.
We break down what the Tesco Clubcard scheme changes are and outline how they will likely affect shoppers:
What benefits does the Tesco Clubcard reward voucher scheme bring?
Under the Clubcard scheme, shoppers have been able to collect points for money spent with Tesco.
Consumers can use their Clubcard points for discounts instore. If a Tesco shopper collected 500 Clubcard points, this would typically be worth £5 to spend in the shop.
Points can also be exchanged for vouchers for things such as restaurant meals or family days out.
Over one hundred retailers, attractions and other hospitality industry services are part of the loyalty scheme, including Legoland, Hotels.com, Cineworld and Pizza Express, and are known as 'reward partners'.
If points are spent with reward partners, they're worth three times as much as points for spent instore. So the 500 Clubcard points would be worth £15.
The Reward Partners scheme originally allowed shoppers to increase the value of their vouchers by four times, but this was cut to three times in 2018, sparking controversy then too.
Last month, shoppers complained that the move is unfair as it comes at a time when their money is not stretching as far as it once did, ITV News' Rachel Townsend reports
How have the terms of the loyalty scheme changed?
From June 14 2023, when you exchange your Tesco Clubcard vouchers for a Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner code, they’ll be worth twice their value, instead of three times their value.
Customers will still get up to three times the value until June 13 2023.
How long are Clubcard points (and rewards) valid for?
Clubcard points are valid for two years, but usually expire after six months when they are swapped for rewards.
However, Tesco is extending the validity of rewards for an additional six months in the run up to June 14.
"To give you extra time to decide when to use your Tesco Clubcard vouchers with Partners, we’re extending the validity period on Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner codes ordered until 13 June, so that they’re valid for 12 months, rather than the usual six months," Tesco said in a statement.
The expiry date on existing Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner codes can be found in your order email or in the 'my rewards' section of the app.
Why has Tesco announced the changes?
The supermarket giant said the changes have been brought in so it can carry on providing "a wide range of rewards" that meet the needs of all its Tesco Clubcard members, "while keeping prices low for everyone".
You can read more about the changes here.
What has the reaction to the move been?
Some shoppers have expressed frustration at the changes, saying they feel like they will no longer be sufficiently rewarded for their loyalty to the supermarket.
Others have said the move has put them off from shopping at Tesco in the future, arguing they could now find better discounts elsewhere.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “Clubcard unlocks the best value from Tesco - from thousands of exclusive deals through Clubcard Prices, to money off your groceries and fuel, or accessing double the value of your vouchers with more than 100 Clubcard Reward Partners.
“Millions of people tap their Tesco Clubcard every time they shop, benefiting from access to more than 8,000 weekly deals on Clubcard Prices, which we’ve now rolled out across every part of our stores – so from food to clothing, Tesco Mobile to Tesco Bank, you can now find even more great deals.
"And with potential savings of up to £351* a year, more people than ever before are making the most of the immediate value that Tesco Clubcard offers."
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