The value of Tesco Clubcard points will be driven down further after the latest announcement from the retailer, this time affecting the number of points earned when you buy fuel.
From June 14, motorists will only collect one Clubcard point for every two litres of fuel they buy instead of the current one point for every £2 worth of fuel. The average cost of a litre of unleaded is currently 146.38p according to the RAC, which means that two litres cost roughly £2.92. So the changes announced will mean customers will only get about two thirds of the value of the points they currently get.
The downgrade comes just one week after Tesco, which is the UK's biggest supermarket chain, announced it is reducing the value of Clubcard vouchers spent with reward partners from the same date. Angry Tesco shoppers flooded social media to complain about the change, which means Clubcard vouchers will only be worth twice their value if exchanged at any of Tesco's Reward Partners, such as Hungry Horse pubs, Pizza Express, RAC breakdown cover and Legoland, instead of the current three times.
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Shoppers branded the move an insult to customers, saying they are not fooled by the grocer's explanation for the change to the Clubcard scheme - and the fact that this is the second reduction in value in five years did not gone unnoticed with shoppers. @TheCorm said on Twitter: "Pretty rubbish to hear that Tesco Clubcard vouchers are dropping in value AGAIN, 3 months and they'll only be worth 2x value for partners. Please don't make out it's still great when it's now worth half of what it was a few years back," and @stowgood saying: "So Tesco Clubcard points are due to be worth half what they used to be a while back 2x down from 3x but I remember when they got you 4x. Maybe it's time to swap supermarkets again like we did during the pandemic."
More than 20m people in the UK hold a Tesco Clubcard, collecting points every time they shop instore or online or use a Tesco filling station. The retailer has already announced that the supermarket's Clubcard app will be scrapped from April 18, to be replaced by another app - the Tesco Grocery and Clubcard app - which will incorporate extra features.
The latest change to the points awarded at filling stations excludes Esso filling stations with a Tesco Express store, and if you are a Tesco Bank customer, the number of points you collect will also depend on whether you use your card to collect points for fuel, to pay for fuel, or both.
A sign on display at a Tesco petrol pump said: "From June 14, 2023, the number of Clubcard points you collect will depend on how many litres of fuel you buy at a Tesco Petrol Filling Station. You'll collect one point for every two litres of fuel instead of one point for every £2 you spend. If you're a Tesco Bank credit card or Clubcard Pay+ customer, you'll collect your normal Clubcard points at an enhanced rate of one point for every one litre bought instead of one point for every £1 you spend."
A Tesco spokesperson told The Sun: "Clubcard unlocks the best value from Tesco - from thousands of exclusive prices through Clubcard Prices, to money off your groceries and fuel, or accessing as much as double the value of your vouchers with more than 100 Clubcard Rewards Partners. We are making a change to the way you can collect points when buying fuel at Tesco Petrol Filling Stations but rest assured that you can still benefit from Clubcard points every time you fill up with us.”
Tesco isn't the only loyalty card that offers customers points for filling up on fuel. Sainsbury's Nectar Card owners can get one point per litre of fuel bought from an Esso garage and Morrisons offers regular deals for customers to save money on fuel. Shell, BP and Texaco also have their own loyalty schemes.
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