Is it Worth Shopping with a Loyalty Card?

Most other loyalty cards are run by just one chain, for example both Boots and Tesco run their own schemes.

While these schemes remain popular, their value has been brought into question because loyalty cards are often difficult to understand and compare, and large amounts of money usually has to be spent before any real benefits are gained.

Understanding loyalty cards

Different loyalty schemes offer different numbers of “points” for every £1 you spend. For example, the Boots Advantage Card gives you four points for every £1 that you spend, while the Tesco Clubcard gives you one point for every £1 spent, while the points you earn with your Nectar Card vary depending on where you spend your money.

However, it’s not just the amount of points you earn per £1 that you need to take into account when choosing a loyalty card. You also need to think about what those points translate into. For example, each point collected with the Boots Advantage Card, the most generous loyalty card on the market, is worth 1p, so you’ll get £10 back once you spend £250.

While the Tesco Clubcard also gives you 1p per point, you only get one point per £1, so you would have to spend £1,000 to get a £10 voucher back.

Making loyalty cards work for you

Companies make money by relying on your loyalty – the more you shop with them in order to collect points, the more they make.

However, while you might have to spend a lot to get anything back from your loyalty card, if you already shop in Boots or Tesco, or in any of the online or high street retailers that offer Nectar points, then you can save points without changing your shopping habits.