Asda has made changes to its Rewards app amid claims that money saved had disappeared and even been spent far away from customers' homes.
Shoppers now need to supply their mobiles to use the loyalty scheme after it tightened its security, although Asda has denied there has been "a widespread security issue" with its app, pointing to weak online personal security as the reason why dozens of users were unable to access their accounts or use log in details .
MoneySavingExpert has reported that users of its loyalty scheme will now need to input a mobile phone number into the app before being given receive a one-off passcode. This will be sent via text to input into the app before you can continue to use it. You will only be asked to do this once, and should only be asked to do this again if you change your password or if they want to log into the app on a different device.
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Martin Lewis's MSE website was keeping an eye on social media platforms and spotted dozens of complaints about Asda Rewards Scheme before Christmas. Morpeth man Simon Jobson complained to MSE that he's had £20 removed from his cash pot and spent in an Asda in Shirley, near Solihull on Wednesday November 16. The West Midlands town is around 220 miles from Mr Jobson's Northumberland home. The 59-year-old DJ said he attempted to contact Asda multiple times about the issue but struggled to get through on the phone. When he did eventually get through, he said the customer services representative agreed to refund the missing cash as a goodwill gesture.
Mr Jobson said: "When I got through to the guy on the phone, he told me he'd been spending all day dealing with similar complaints. I was also annoyed at how difficult it was to actually get through and report the problem."
On Twitter, customers reported similar problems to Mr Jobson.
@SarahCh74660571 said: "I have just gone online to convert my Asda rewards to vouchers to use on my next grocery order and my cash pot has disappeared- why?" while @emily05759683 asked: "Hi , just noticed someone has logged in and used my £20 cash pot! How is this possible? I’ve been saving up to use this . And you have leaked out information somewhere."
At the time, an Asda spokesperson said: "We are really proud of the success of the Asda Rewards app since it’s official launch in August. So far there have been over five million downloads and there are currently around three million active users, all benefitting from the extra rewards they are getting whilst doing their weekly shop with Asda. If any customer has an issue whilst using the Asda Rewards app we would ask that they contact us so that we can look into this for them."
Asda, the UK's third biggest supermarket, rolled out its loyalty scheme countrywide in the summer after piloting it in five North East stores earlier this year. Shoppers in the supermarket giant's Benton, Boldon, Byker, Gosforth and South Shields stores were among the first in the country to trial the app-based rewards scheme. The rewards, the supermarket's first loyalty programme in its 72-year- history, is accessed via an app, which you have to download to take part.
Once registered, there are two ways to collect cash rewards, known as Asda Pounds, either by buying a Star Product or completing personalised in-app shopping missions. You can use the scheme by both shopping on store or online. Asda said the cashback is personalised, with rewards offered on the items you're most likely to buy.
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