Waitrose shoppers are set to get major discounts on food counter products as part of the retailer’s loyalty programme revamp.
The supermarket is relaunching its MyWaitrose scheme on 23 February to give members weekly and monthly personalised offers and discounts – including a 20% offer across the cheese, meat, fish and deli counters for the first month.
The revamped programme was set to increase the savings customers can make by 112% compared with the previous scheme, the company said.
The Grocer understands Waitrose has poured “tens of millions into the scheme” to double its investment in MyWaitrose offers, marking its biggest initiative to add value for customers in the past 10 years.
The retailer first hinted at a loyalty revamp earlier this month, when it told customers it would be withdrawing its free newspaper offer in exchange for new, personalised rewards.
Despite a wave of criticism from shoppers on social media, Waitrose said that only around 5% of its loyalty card members actually benefited from the perk.
The move followed the business’s decision to halt its free coffee or tea offer during the pandemic, which was one of the hallmarks of its previous scheme.
Waitrose’s parent company, the John Lewis Partnership, has recently announced the appointment of a pan-partnership customer director, Charlotte Lock – currently the Co-op’s data and loyalty head – to drive a new loyalty strategy across both brands.
Read more: How supermarket loyalty schemes are aiming to trump inflation
The new MyWaitrose will focus on “offering greater value for fresh, seasonal and British products with the aim of delivering loyalty to both our customers and our producers” Waitrose said.
Rewards will be split into two categories – personalised offers and exclusive savings – which will be awarded on a weekly and monthly basis respectively.
The selection of tailored offers will widen as customers shop more, and vouchers can be redeemed weekly via the MyWaitrose membership hub online, via the Waitrose app or in branch. Customers will be emailed each Wednesday to remind them to pick their offers for the week.
The exclusive savings option will give the loyalty card users access to rewards across food counters. The first round of 20% discounts is running from 23 February to 14 March on cheese, meat, fish and deli counters, after which shoppers can enjoy 20% off on cheese, deli and fish each Friday from 15 March to 19 April.
“Encouraging MyWaitrose members to sample more of these products will provide a much-needed boost to these smaller suppliers and will also allow customers to experience the unrivalled service offered by our meat, fish and cheese specialists,” the retailer said.
Additionally, members will continue to receive free copies of Waitrose Food, Health and Drinks magazines, discounts on dry cleaning and Cookery School courses and cashback on healthy products with Vitality Health.
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