IT'S BEAN GREAT
Major chain axes free coffees in DAYS as part of loyalty scheme shake-up
Fans have just six days to claim free coffees before the offer ends
A HIGH street coffee chain is to axe free coffees from its loyalty scheme in days as it launches a major shake-up.
Pret A Manger fans have just six days left to claim their free drinks before the Club Pret terms change for good on September 3.
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Club Pret currently costs £30 a month, or £360 a year, for which members can get five free hot or iced barista-made drinks each day as well as a 20% discount on all food.
But after September 3 Club Pret members will instead get 50% off five barista-made drinks a day, with no discount on food.
To reflect the change the price of the scheme will fall by 66per cent to £10 a month – with a reduced rate of £5 a month until the end of March 2025 for both new and existing subscribers.
The lower price will be implemented from members' first billing date after September 2.
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Announcing the change in July, Pret’s UK&I managing director Clare Clough said: “We know this is a change. But with Club Pret subscription, our coffees, teas, Coolers and iced drinks will continue to be the best offer on the high street, and at a much more accessible price than the £360 a year people have to pay for the current scheme.
“Given the majority of our customers are not Club Pret subscribers, our priority now is to focus on better value for everyone.”
July's announcement shocked Club Pret members with one writing on X (formerly Twitter): "Have a word I will be cancelling as I think many others will be!!! Shame on you."
Another added: “It’s a very sad day for coffee lovers."
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Club Pret changes will cost coffee lovers
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements gives her verdict on the changes to the Club Pret scheme.
The Club Pret subscribe and save scheme has been hugely popular among coffee lovers.
If you enjoy treating yourself to a hot or iced beverage every day, the savings were well worth it.
The £30 a month price-tag may sound fairly hefty but it works out as up to five drinks every day for just £1.
Now the cost of the scheme is falling to £10 a month which would work out as roughly 33p a day. But you now have to pay half the cost of your drink of choice.
If you buy a flat white, medium size, at £3 a go. You’d pay £1.50, plus the 33p in membership working out at £1.75 for one coffee. If you ordered another four on the same day, it would cost another £6 working out at a total of £7.75 for five drinks in one day.
To soften the blow, Pret has reduced the price of its no frills filter coffee to 99p, down from £1.80.
But those who enjoy a drink with the added extras could find that other coffee chains are now a better deal. For example, you can sign up to chain Leon’s Roast Rewards for £25 a month and get five barista-made drinks a day. This works out at roughly 83p a day for five drinks. Not bad, not bad at all.
Brits are so picky about coffee they won't drink beverage made by anyone else
At the same time as announcing the change Pret said the price of its signature 100% organic arabica filter coffee would drop to 99p, while an all butter croissant would be reduced in price to £1.99.
Club Pret was introduced following the Covid-19 lockdowns as a means to lure customers back to the chain, which was particularly hard hit with the slow return to offices.
While it was loved by coffee fans, the scheme has had hiccups.
In March, the chain implemented a crackdown to prevent Club Pret subscribers from sharing free drinks with others.
Some customers were exploiting loopholes by sharing subscription benefits, prompting the changes.
Subscribers have since been required to use the app to redeem their complimentary drinks, rather than accessing QR codes via Apple Wallet or smartwatches.
Many aired their concerns, saying the changes made it harder to claim the offer, with some reporting technical issues when trying to access the app.
Others said they had cancelled their subscriptions altogether amid the “faff” the updates had caused, with some questioning how they would be able to access the app if they were in a chain without signal.
Alternative free coffee schemes
Leon Roast Rewards
You can sign up to Leon’s Roast Rewards for £25 a month and get five barista-made drinks a day.
This works out at roughly 83p a day for five drinks, but under the scheme you can only buy one drink every hour - so you can't get a free drink for you and a pal at the same time.
As part of the scheme, you also get 20% off breakfast and the all day food menu.
Starbucks
Starbucks membership is free to join.
Customers get three stars for each partial £1 spent, then a free drink when they get 150 stars, which works out at spending around £50 for each free coffee.
There is also a drink on the house for your birthday.
Caffe Nero
Caffe Nero's loyalty scheme is free to join.
Every drink you buy gets you a reward stamp in your Caffe Nero app and you get an extra one if you bring your own cup.
For every nine stamps you get a free drink.
Costa
Costa also runs a free loyalty scheme but also changed the terms last August
Customers must now buy an extra two coffees to get a free one at Costa, meaning you'll get a freebie after buying ten, rather than eight.
As with Nero, you get an extra stamp for a reusable cup.
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