MSE News: M&S shopper? You can now earn money-off vouchers with its revamped Sparks scheme

MSE_Abby

The revamped M&S Sparks loyalty scheme now lets you earn vouchers when you shop with the retailer. M&S says it's made the changes after customer feedback to "make Sparks better". Here's what's new…

Read the full story:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2026/04/m-and-s-loyalty-shakeup/

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metaphase

Apart from all the marketing buzzwords around AI, I couldn't see what had changed with this? The offers seem the same as before, it's just rather than getting the cash off your bill straight away it now goes into a wallet so you won't get it off until your next shop (or you might forget to redeem it which I guess is what they're also hoping). I can't see any particular upside or major improvement?

WoodhousePirate

Can we still expect the 20% off offers? If not then this seems a huge downgrade and almost not worth having a Sparks card.

YorkshireGenes

One of my first offers is £4 reward for spending £35 in the food hall. When they used to do these years ago they were never of any use to me as the threshold spend was too high. However, this one says in one or multiple shops with 12 days to earn so I thought okay, that's better, I'll give that a try.

Did a shop this morning. Spent £23.20. Get home, look at the app, it says I've still got £15.55 left to spend to reach the £35.00. That's £3.75 adrift. Checked the T&Cs again, it says includes products in the food hall, and the only exclusions listed are cards and wrap, and yellow stickered items (none of which I bought). The only item on my receipt which cost £3.75 was a packet of brownies so presumably that's what didn't count towards the offer. But why don't brownies count as a 'product from the food hall'?! For future shops, how am I supposed to know what will and won't count?

I have just spent over 30 minutes on the phone with M&S Customer Service (because the 'email us' link on their website doesn't work), first with one agent and then I was put through to another. They both agreed that brownies are food from the food hall and they have no idea why they didn't count towards the threshold spend. It was suggested that perhaps the app would 'catch up' with the correct amount, that I should wait 24 hours and see if it did, and if it didn't then call back. Great, and spend another 30+ minutes going around in circles? Not acceptable. Eventually they said the issue would be raised with the Sparks team and they'd get back to me.

Not the best start to their supposedly new and improved Sparks scheme, for me at least.

I will also miss the 10% or 20% discount offers. Threshold spend offers generally don't work for me, the minimum spend is usually too high. Percentage offers are fairer, all customers can benefit from those equally regardless of their circumstances.

J63320

Some items such as certain types of confectionery aren’t classed as “food” for VAT purposes. Could it be that someone at M&S who knows more about marketing than they do about tax has decided to use the VAT rating to identify the items bought in the food hall?

KxMx

I too find the discounts more useful, but earning money to spend in store appeals and I'm sure relevant offers will come along just like the discounts did.

I am closing my Boots Advantage card as they are getting rid of the only incentive I had to shop with them, the 10% off on own brand products.

pumpkin89

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81968462#Comment_81968462

With Boots you get actual money on your card for everything you buy. Not megabucks, but it's easy to rack up enough for a free pack of paracetamol at least!

KxMx

I very rarely shop with Boots now, preferring other shops.

The cut from 4 to 3 points earned per pound spent didn't bother me, as I found the own brand discount more valuable.

So without a 10% discount on own brand products, the last incentive I personally did have to shop there is gone as I said.

SallyD007

Personally I do not like the new Sparks as it is aimed at benefits for the retailer not the customer. Previously I could get an offer of say 20% off of dresses, buy a dress for £50 which would cost me £40 and that would be that. I would have saved £10. One of my first offers was spend £170 and get £34 back and only a week to get to that spend - seriously?! Now if I only wanted to buy the same dress and nothing else I would have to pay £50 so no saving now as I wouldn't meet the very high spend threshold. I don't want to be forced into spending more to get a 'saving'. My other offers were for food items that I don't buy so thanks for nothing!

Also previously, if I did spend £170 it would only have cost me £136 and the remaining £34 would have still been in my bank account for me to spend on anything I wanted wherever I wanted. Now, although I would get £34 back, it is held for me in my M&S account to spend in M&S so again it's not as attractive as the previous Sparks programme for the customer but much better for the retailer as they retain your cash saving.

Let's hope they bring back the previous programme which was more customer focused and encouraged me to spend at M&S instead of looking elsewhere.

Rosa_Damascena

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81970222#Comment_81970222

I'm a big sucker for Boots £10 Tuesdays - allows me to buy skincare brands I wouldn't normally shell out on.

clydeguineapig

I agree with the overall negative comments regarding new the Sparks offers. I don't even seem to be offered as much as mentioned above either. Very disappointed.