Co-op cuts meal deal costs for members, but if you don't have a loyalty card you'll pay more

Former_MSE_Sophie

Co-op has lowered the price of its meal deal from £3.75 to £3.50 for members of its loyalty scheme, but it's increased the price for non-members from £3.75 to £4.

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Co-op cuts meal deal costs for members, but if you don't have a loyalty card you'll pay more 

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MelNicholls

I'm not sure about the new wave of loyalty cards and member cards that exclude many 'special buys' from those who don't have a card. It's beginning to feel as though rather than gaining rewards (such as points or discounts off your bill) for signing up, customers are being punished for not signing up by having to pay more for many of the items in the store. The differences in price can be quite a lot and soon mounts up.  I feel uneasy about the big differences in the prices paid just because you may not want to sign up to a card.  Is this uneasiness warranted or are we heading to a situation where many people who don't really want to sign up for whatever reasons, will feel they have to in order to keep their bills down because prices are being raised for them otherwise?  

jon81uk

MelNicholls said:

I'm not sure about the new wave of loyalty cards and member cards that exclude many 'special buys' from those who don't have a card. It's beginning to feel as though rather than gaining rewards (such as points or discounts off your bill) for signing up, customers are being punished for not signing up by having to pay more for many of the items in the store. The differences in price can be quite a lot and soon mounts up.  I feel uneasy about the big differences in the prices paid just because you may not want to sign up to a card.  Is this uneasiness warranted or are we heading to a situation where many people who don't really want to sign up for whatever reasons, will feel they have to in order to keep their bills down because prices are being raised for them otherwise?  

In this case you could of course make your own lunch for less than £3.50 anyway.

Coffeekup

MelNicholls said:

I'm not sure about the new wave of loyalty cards and member cards that exclude many 'special buys' from those who don't have a card. It's beginning to feel as though rather than gaining rewards (such as points or discounts off your bill) for signing up, customers are being punished for not signing up by having to pay more for many of the items in the store. The differences in price can be quite a lot and soon mounts up.  I feel uneasy about the big differences in the prices paid just because you may not want to sign up to a card.  Is this uneasiness warranted or are we heading to a situation where many people who don't really want to sign up for whatever reasons, will feel they have to in order to keep their bills down because prices are being raised for them otherwise?  

I agree .. except that I know I don't like it.
Some time ago I went shopping with a friend at Tesco and they made a comment and bragged on how they got a branded mustard 40p cheaper because they had a the club card, I said "if you shop in A/B and C shop's you get it at the cheaper price anyway without the loyalty card".

For me it's just dumbing down, confusing and or misleading customer's, whilst companies gather more information about you and your shopping habits. 

I have a nectar card, you get weekly offer's if you have the app mostly based on your previous week's/months basket buy's. Rarely are the offers worth it and usually work out the same price for a product if bought elsewhere. Basically if you shop around you save the money in your pocket that day/week, otherwise you save the money in nectar points to use at some future time point.
On the plus side I can cash in the nectar points on some other overpriced offer's that I'm not interested in.
Or I can collect x4 as many points if I bought stuff from A/B and C companies who usually over charge for their products anyway.

Not fond of jumping through hoops whilst chasing a dangling rotten carrot.

jon81uk

Coffeekup said:

MelNicholls said:

I'm not sure about the new wave of loyalty cards and member cards that exclude many 'special buys' from those who don't have a card. It's beginning to feel as though rather than gaining rewards (such as points or discounts off your bill) for signing up, customers are being punished for not signing up by having to pay more for many of the items in the store. The differences in price can be quite a lot and soon mounts up.  I feel uneasy about the big differences in the prices paid just because you may not want to sign up to a card.  Is this uneasiness warranted or are we heading to a situation where many people who don't really want to sign up for whatever reasons, will feel they have to in order to keep their bills down because prices are being raised for them otherwise?  

I agree .. except that I know I don't like it.
Some time ago I went shopping with a friend at Tesco and they made a comment and bragged on how they got a branded mustard 40p cheaper because they had a the club card, I said "if you shop in A/B and C shop's you get it at the cheaper price anyway without the loyalty card".

For me it's just dumbing down, confusing and or misleading customer's, whilst companies gather more information about you and your shopping habits. 

I have a nectar card, you get weekly offer's if you have the app mostly based on your previous week's/months basket buy's. Rarely are the offers worth it and usually work out the same price for a product if bought elsewhere. Basically if you shop around you save the money in your pocket that day/week, otherwise you save the money in nectar points to use at some future time point.
On the plus side I can cash in the nectar points on some other overpriced offer's that I'm not interested in.
Or I can collect x4 as many points if I bought stuff from A/B and C companies who usually over charge for their products anyway.

Not fond of jumping through hoops whilst chasing a dangling rotten carrot.

Going to multiple different stores is a hassle. Sainsbury's is walking distance from me. If they offer me 30% off on something I buy regularly then I will take advantage, if it is something I don't need then I won't bother.

PennyForThem_2

Ditto Tescos.  

For a highish priced item like a big bottleof liquid detergent, I will check by looking at websites of big supermarkets to find out who has it on offer and buy there.  But for a bottle of sauce ----- nah