Petrol Cashback loophole?

lukeuser01

I was wandering if anyone would be able to offer insight into this scenario. If I use a Santander 123 Cashback Credit card ( or similar credit card which offers a higher cashback on petrol) and I buy an item at a petrol station, such as a chocolate bar, will I get the higher cashback on it (in this case 3%, rather than the supermarket rate of 1%)? Although the terms don't say this, it certainly seems to suggest that this is what would happen (since the merchant codes it talks about are presumably the same no matter what is being bought):

1. Any holder of a Santander Cashback World MasterCard® ('Credit Card') is able to earn cashback at the retailers categorised below made using the Credit Card. Cashback on purchases is calculated by Santander Cards Limited at the following percentage rates:

i. Supermarkets: 1% cashback on purchases made at supermarkets which are identified by Supermarket Merchant Category Codes 5411, 5499 and 9751. Supermarkets within the Merchant Category Codes include, but are not limited to, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Iceland, The Co-operative, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose. Most purchases made at Marks & Spencer will qualify for cashback at the rate of 1%;

ii. Department Stores: 2% cashback on purchases made at department stores which are identified by Department Store Merchant Category Code 5311. Department stores within the Merchant Category Codes include, but are not limited to, John Lewis, Peter Jones, Debenhams, House of Fraser, BHS, Selfridges, Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Fenwick;

iii. Petrol Stations: 3% cashback on fuel purchases (which include petrol, diesel and LPG) made at petrol stations which are identified by Petrol Station Merchant Category Codes 5541, 9752 and 5542. Petrol stations within the Merchant Category Codes include, but are not limited to, BP, Esso, Texaco, Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's. Cashback may also apply to other supermarket petrol stations falling within the above Petrol Station Merchant Category Codes.

bengalknights

It will work just remember though prices tend to be higher in petrol stations

Herzlos

The shell card at least differentiated between fuel purchases and petrol station purchases, so chocolate bars wouldn't count.

But as has already been said, you'll pay much more than a 3% increase on stuff in petrol stations, completely negating any benefit to you.

lukeuser01

Good point folks. I didn't think of the higher prices. Thanks!

Gordon_the_Moron

If you smoke cigarettes tend to be nearly the same price everywhere (certainly no more expensive in a supermarket petrol station than the supermarket itself!) so that is one item where you can gain by using this technique. That said giving up smoking like I did years ago is a better money saving technique

Gromitt

Indeed, sometimes I buy chocolate bars, crisps and sandwiches from a petrol station, but only when out on a trip for work where I can claim the cost of such back.

csymeonides

Just to flag this up for everyone: Santander will NOT pay you the 3% cashback if you go to (for example) a Co-op petrol station, because it gets logged as a supermarket transaction on their system. I raised this with them but they just gave me the stock reply and copy-paste from terms & conditions. Not happy!!!

dt3887

lukeuser01 wrote: »

I was wandering if anyone would be able to offer insight into this scenario. If I use a Santander 123 Cashback Credit card ( or similar credit card which offers a higher cashback on petrol) and I buy an item at a petrol station, such as a chocolate bar, will I get the higher cashback on it (in this case 3%, rather than the supermarket rate of 1%)? Although the terms don't say this, it certainly seems to suggest that this is what would happen (since the merchant codes it talks about are presumably the same no matter what is being bought):

1. Any holder of a Santander Cashback World MasterCard® ('Credit Card') is able to earn cashback at the retailers categorised below made using the Credit Card. Cashback on purchases is calculated by Santander Cards Limited at the following percentage rates:

i. Supermarkets: 1% cashback on purchases made at supermarkets which are identified by Supermarket Merchant Category Codes 5411, 5499 and 9751. Supermarkets within the Merchant Category Codes include, but are not limited to, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Iceland, The Co-operative, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose. Most purchases made at Marks & Spencer will qualify for cashback at the rate of 1%;

ii. Department Stores: 2% cashback on purchases made at department stores which are identified by Department Store Merchant Category Code 5311. Department stores within the Merchant Category Codes include, but are not limited to, John Lewis, Peter Jones, Debenhams, House of Fraser, BHS, Selfridges, Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Fenwick;

iii. Petrol Stations: 3% cashback on fuel purchases (which include petrol, diesel and LPG) made at petrol stations which are identified by Petrol Station Merchant Category Codes 5541, 9752 and 5542. Petrol stations within the Merchant Category Codes include, but are not limited to, BP, Esso, Texaco, Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's. Cashback may also apply to other supermarket petrol stations falling within the above Petrol Station Merchant Category Codes.

the highlighted bit answers your question

dalesrider

csymeonides wrote: »

Just to flag this up for everyone: Santander will NOT pay you the 3% cashback if you go to (for example) a Co-op petrol station, because it gets logged as a supermarket transaction on their system. I raised this with them but they just gave me the stock reply and copy-paste from terms & conditions. Not happy!!!

Take it up with the co-op as they are clearly not reporting themselves correctly

by Petrol Station Merchant Category Codes 5541, 9752 and 5542.

when you make a purchase.

Clearly they should be using the correct catsic code for petrol purchases.

As to the OP. So long as the purchase come through with the quoted code it will get the required cashback %. They can only list one code on a transaction. And Santander have no idea what you have purchased, only the amount.
Not sure if you would get it on cashback at the retailer though.
Might be worth a try to see