Tesco is trialling giving Clubcard members lower prices and is planning an Amazon Prime-like loyalty scheme
Loyal shoppers were given extra discounts on groceries during a week-long trial at 20 stores randomly selected for a trial
TESCO is testing giving Clubcard members lower prices at the till as it moves towards launching an Amazon Prime-like loyalty scheme.
The supermarket ran a week-long trial where it dropped prices for Clubcard shoppers when they scanned their groceries at the till.
The scheme, which ended on Sunday, was trialled at 50 stores picked at random across 20 products.
It's not clear exactly how the trial worked, but shoppers may have seen prices drop after scanning their Tesco Clubcard.
Amazon ran a similar trial in its Whole Foods chain in the US last year, that saw Prime members get discounts on a rotating range of groceries.
Unlike Tesco Clubcard, shoppers pay a membership fee for Amazon that gives them access to its streaming services, as well as early access to sales and free delivery.
How to reclaim lost Clubcard points
MOST people lose or forget their Tesco voucher but it's easy to claim back up to two years or unused vouchers.
The supermarket doesn't remind you of vouchers that you have leftover, so it's up to you to check.
Log into the Tesco Clubcard website and check for unspent vouchers.
You’ll see a tab saying "my vouchers" and this will list the ones you still have to spend.
You can print the vouchers to use them in store or note down the number and visit the to exchange them.
Tesco has 433 stores across England, Wales and Scotland and is the UK's biggest supermarket. It launched it's loyalty scheme back in 1995 which now has 17million members.
Customers scan their membership cards to earn points when they shop that can be later exchanged for money-off vouchers.
Shoppers are given one point for every £1 spent and each Clubcard point is worth 1p when you shop.
The scheme was one of the driving forces behind Tesco's success but now shoppers are choosing cheaper prices at stores like Aldi and Lidl over loyalty rewards.
Here's how to cut the cost of your grocery shop
SAVING on your shop can make a big difference to your wallet. Here are some tips from Hannah Maundrell, editor of Money.co.uk, about how you can cut the cost of your shopping bills:
- Write yourself a list – Only buy items that you need. If it isn’t on your list, don’t put it in the trolley
- Create a budget – Work out a weekly budget for your food shopping
- Never shop hungry – you are far more likely to buy more food if your tummy is rumbling
- Don’t buy pre-chopped veggies or fruit – The extra they’ll charge for chopping can be eye watering
- Use social media – follow your favourite retailers to find out about the latest deals
- Be disloyal – You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains
- Check the small print – It’s always worth checking the price per kg/lb/litre when comparing offers so you’re making a like for like decision as a bigger box won’t necessarily mean you get more
- Use your loyalty cards – Don’t be afraid to sign up to them all. They all work slightly differently – work out what bonus suits you better and remember to trade in your points for additional rewards
Last week, Tesco reported £1.3billion pre-tax profits for last year up from £145million on the previous year.
The reports that chief executive Dave Lewis wants to introduce greater incentives for shoppers to do their banking with the supermarket and take out phone contracts with them.
He told the paper that customer satisfaction is "much stronger" with those who use more than one of the brand's services.
A spokesperson told The Sun: "We’re always looking at new ways to serve our customers better and we’ll tell them as soon as possible if and when we decide to take any ideas forward."
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Sainsbury's is also trialling a Nectar points shakeup in the Isle of Wight as it also feels the heat from discounters.
In the test, shoppers will only be rewarded on offers that they pick before they shop.
Tesco shoppers can boost their Clubcard points by 25 per cent if they use the supermarket's free Pay+ app.
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