Tesco saving stamps discontinued

Artycrafty

I need help. For a few years I had been buying  saving stamps.  I do not patronise Tesco stores very frequently, basically because it is not my closest and like a lot of people, tend use a selection of supermarkets, depending on what needed.  However, Tesco is the store of choice during the summer when we are at our caravan. Buying stamps was also dependent on whether I had pound coins and when I remembered to do so. I had saved up £54.00 on two separate cards. It was only on a rare visit to Tesco last week that I noticed the sign announcing the stamp discontinuation. The next day I made a special visit to that same store to hand in my cards and hopefully cash them in, only to be told that they no longer processed them in store. I was advised to ring head office. I did so when I got home, and was told that I was too late. They had stopped selling stamps last October and we apparently had until December 31st to exchange for a gift card, only a matter of 8-9 weeks. I was devastated, Tesco literally have my money, and won’t give it back. I told them so at head office but was simply told again that it was too late. I really feel that the chance to exchange our stamps for a gift card should have remained in place for a matter of 6-12 months. I am lost at what to do. 

Aylesbury_Duck

How did Tesco communicate this to customers?  Presumably this is an in-store promotion so they don't have all participants' contact details?  I know they put stuff out in the media about it, but does that stand up, lawfully?

Jonboy_1984

Were they not always marketed Specifically as a Christmas savings scheme, with bonus in December each year?

They have already had some “bad” press, https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-12804371/I-1-300-scrapped-Tesco-savings-stamps-says-no-longer-swap-cash-CRANE-CASE.html,  so might be worth taking up via a similar channel…

born_again

Seems to have been on a lot of media outlets.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466636/tesco-saving-stamps-will-be-no-more

lincroft1710

Don't think there is much you can do. Tesco made the announcement they were discontinuing the stamps in August so there was a 4 month notice of the time limit for cashing then in 

RefluentBeans

Aylesbury_Duck said:

How did Tesco communicate this to customers?  Presumably this is an in-store promotion so they don't have all participants' contact details?  I know they put stuff out in the media about it, but does that stand up, lawfully?

I guess it’s up for interpretation - but it depends on the medium the notice was in/on. Publishing it in one newspaper just once is probably not enough - but publishing it across multiple channels multiple times probably would be. I also would guess this is why they’re discontinuing the program - perpetual money vouchers is a nightmare for fraud, especially with little validation. 

I would think that Tesco would probably just give a voucher to OP if they kicked up enough fuss, so it may just be worth complaining. Personally, I think it probably would work. 

lincroft1710

RefluentBeans said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

How did Tesco communicate this to customers?  Presumably this is an in-store promotion so they don't have all participants' contact details?  I know they put stuff out in the media about it, but does that stand up, lawfully?

I guess it’s up for interpretation - but it depends on the medium the notice was in/on. Publishing it in one newspaper just once is probably not enough - but publishing it across multiple channels multiple times probably would be. I also would guess this is why they’re discontinuing the program - perpetual money vouchers is a nightmare for fraud, especially with little validation. 

I would think that Tesco would probably just give a voucher to OP if they kicked up enough fuss, so it may just be worth complaining. Personally, I think it probably would work. 

They published it in store. Trouble is that OP is not a regular customer and hadn't visited the store between July 2023 and January 2024 so didn't see the announcement. Tesco have already said no, so don't think they will change their mind.  

PHK

lincroft1710 said:

RefluentBeans said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

How did Tesco communicate this to customers?  Presumably this is an in-store promotion so they don't have all participants' contact details?  I know they put stuff out in the media about it, but does that stand up, lawfully?

I guess it’s up for interpretation - but it depends on the medium the notice was in/on. Publishing it in one newspaper just once is probably not enough - but publishing it across multiple channels multiple times probably would be. I also would guess this is why they’re discontinuing the program - perpetual money vouchers is a nightmare for fraud, especially with little validation. 

I would think that Tesco would probably just give a voucher to OP if they kicked up enough fuss, so it may just be worth complaining. Personally, I think it probably would work. 

They published it in store. Trouble is that OP is not a regular customer and hadn't visited the store between July 2023 and January 2024 so didn't see the announcement. Tesco have already said no, so don't think they will change their mind.  

Not just in store. Many media outlets and even MSE. 

molerat

I would contact This Is Money, I am sure they would stir it with Tesco and get you vouchers to the value.

ArbitraryRandom

Something I've struggled to find is the terms and conditions which would have been available to customers at point of sale... There will almost certainly have been something about Tesco being able to vary or end the scheme, but it would be helpful to actually see the wording. 

Abbafan1972

No help at all, but didn’t even know Tescos still had a scheme like this. We shop there every week and never seen the machines. Thought systems like this were long gone to be honest.