Shop loyalty schemes are getting out of hand and I'm wondering if they should be illegal

user1977

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I would assume everyone local is a member but when the tourist season hits perhaps many aren't, particularly those from outside the UK. 

So what though? When I'm a tourist I probably miss out on a bunch of discounts which the locals know about. Not much point in my signing up for loyalty schemes if I'm never coming back!

TELLIT01

Brie said:

I've always wished that there were no loyalty schemes as it would lighten my wallet and in a good way - lots less cards and coupons to carry about.  I'd prefer to just have the lower prices as they wouldn't have the cost of running schemes.  But then they wouldn't get all their marketing data....

And some deals are blatantly weird.  Sainsburys had a product that was not card related where it was 1 product for £2.99 and 2 for £2.75.  Why would you not buy 2?  Even if you gave one away?  And Tesco had olive oil on display showing the price per litre except for some brands which were price per 100 g.  Made it very difficult to sort out which was cheapest as I didn't have a calculator with me.  (no not on my phone either)

It's the pricing of Jaffa Cakes in my local Co-op, and presumably all other Co-op stores, which gets my brain into meltdown.  They have various pack sizes, single pack with 12, double pack with 18 or 20 (that seems to vary) being the most common.  I've seen 2 packs of 12 for less than a single pack, a pack of 18 being more than 2 single packs even when there isn't an offer on the 12 pack, etc, etc.

Using different measures for the same product is certainly unfair practice, they should both be volume or weight.

Murphybear

boxosox said:

I went to Superdrug to buy some moisturiser that was at its normal price of £3.49 but only if you were a member of their loyalty scheme.  If not, it was double the price at £6.99.

So I went to Boots where it was exactly the same - to get the normal price I needed an Advantage card, otherwise pay double.

The same seems to be true in Pret, Tesco, Morrisons, Starbucks and loads more I can't remember right now.

But it seems like they're not rewarding you for being in their scheme, but punishing you for not being in it.  Doubling the price of something purely because you don't want to hand over your personal details and get bombarded by marketing seems really underhanded.

I have a few loyalty scheme cards and have never been bombarded with anything.  

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

user1977 said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

I would assume everyone local is a member but when the tourist season hits perhaps many aren't, particularly those from outside the UK. 

So what though? When I'm a tourist I probably miss out on a bunch of discounts which the locals know about. Not much point in my signing up for loyalty schemes if I'm never coming back!

Well you cut out the bit of my quote where I said it's an ethical question  

I do understand your point, you go on holiday and let loose as you spend the other 50 weeks of the year worrying about money so it's care free holiday time. 

boxosox

unforeseen said:

Doubling the price of something purely because you don't want to hand over your personal details and get bombarded by marketing seems really underhanded

Or is it halving the price if you hand over details?

No, it's doubling if you don't.

The price has always been between £3 and £4 (as I said in my original post).

In fact, just gone to Simple's website who have a link to Asda where it's £2.25 and Sainsbury's where it's £3.50.  Superdrug's price of £6.99 is blatantly punishing shoppers who don't sign up.

https://www.simple.co.uk/products/face-moisturisers-and-creams/kind-to-skin-protecting-light-moisturiser-with-spf-15.html

MrsStepford

I have myWaitrose and Holland & Barrett cards. I got rid of Nectar when Sainsbury's added my entire points balance to my husband's Nectar card. I got rid of Co-op card as I last used it in Tisbury in 2019. Husband has been waiting for a replacement Tesco card since February. 

I think these member discount prices discriminate against poorer people, who maybe can't afford a computer or mobile. Also, it discriminates against the elderly, many of whom can't use computers or email. 

Are the deals really as good as the supermarket says ? 

I don't shop at Tesco anymore and neither does husband. Pointless if you can't pick up any offers.

MattMattMattUK

MrsStepford said:

I have myWaitrose and Holland & Barrett cards. I got rid of Nectar when Sainsbury's added my entire points balance to my husband's Nectar card. I got rid of Co-op card as I last used it in Tisbury in 2019. Husband has been waiting for a replacement Tesco card since February. 

I think these member discount prices discriminate against poorer people, who maybe can't afford a computer or mobile. Also, it discriminates against the elderly, many of whom can't use computers or email. 

Only discrimination against protected characteristics matters and I think it would be very hard to prove, even just as a balance of probabilities, that this was discriminatory in a way that matters.

MrsStepford said:

Are the deals really as good as the supermarket says ? 

No, but a deal rarely is. 

MrsStepford said:

I don't shop at Tesco anymore and neither does husband. Pointless if you can't pick up any offers.

I shop where is convenient which for me is normally Sainsburys or Waitrose, however a few months back it happened to be Tesco. On that occasion aware of the concept of Clubcard prices I signed up to Clubcard as I was walking across the car park, I had the card digitally in around a minute, no need for a physical card. 

For what it is worth I find the system a bit annoying and do not agree with the "member discount" process offered by the supermarkets, but equally I do not find it onerous nor do I feel it is discriminatory, I also understand why all the supermarkets have gone down this route.

Undervalued

MrsStepford said:

I have myWaitrose and Holland & Barrett cards. I got rid of Nectar when Sainsbury's added my entire points balance to my husband's Nectar card. I got rid of Co-op card as I last used it in Tisbury in 2019. Husband has been waiting for a replacement Tesco card since February. 

I think these member discount prices discriminate against poorer people, who maybe can't afford a computer or mobile. Also, it discriminates against the elderly, many of whom can't use computers or email. 

Are the deals really as good as the supermarket says ? 

I don't shop at Tesco anymore and neither does husband. Pointless if you can't pick up any offers.

Rightly or wrongly that is not unlawful. Only very limited forms of "discrimination" are actually illegal and poverty / wealth are not amongst them.

Surely you or your husband could simply register for a new Tesco Clubcard if you want the benefits?

Yes, some thing are annoying but that doesn't mean that everything should be regulated by the state.

born_again

MrsStepford said:

I have myWaitrose and Holland & Barrett cards. I got rid of Nectar when Sainsbury's added my entire points balance to my husband's Nectar card. I got rid of Co-op card as I last used it in Tisbury in 2019. Husband has been waiting for a replacement Tesco card since February. 

I think these member discount prices discriminate against poorer people, who maybe can't afford a computer or mobile. Also, it discriminates against the elderly, many of whom can't use computers or email. 

Are the deals really as good as the supermarket says ? 

I don't shop at Tesco anymore and neither does husband. Pointless if you can't pick up any offers.

Why?

I know plenty of older & younger people who just use their nectar card & not have it linked to a APP etc.

900 points for 5 shops is a offer on at the moment. better than nothing. 

RefluentBeans

I see we’re back to making, frankly, ageist comments. 

The issue is people don’t want to give out their details. That’s fine. Don’t give out your details. But if a company charges more to non-members and you refuse to give out your details, don’t start being a champion for old people’s apparent inability to use modern technology. The argument is bunk, and distracts from the issue.