Waitrose makes major change to popular perk with loyalty card
Supermarket giant is conducting a trail in 9 stores which reverses a previous cut - but could incur a £3 fine
Waitrose is shaking things up with its loyalty programme by introducing a new feature that's bound to get people talking. The posh grocer is now allowing customers to borrow a reusable coffee cup to enjoy their complimentary brew while they shop, as part of an innovative trial aimed at cutting down on plastic waste.
Customers will have a week to return the cup to a specific drop-off point or face a £3 charge. This "circular" initiative is currently being tested in nine Waitrose stores, with the Newark branch confirmed as one of the participants.
To take advantage of the "Borrow a Free Cup" scheme, shoppers simply need to scan their MyWaitrose card.
They can then help themselves to a hot drink from the store's machine as per usual. A spokesperson for Waitrose commented: "We're currently conducting a reusable cup trial in nine of our branches - it kicked off this week and is available for MyWaitrose members to use when redeeming their free coffee, or for our cafe customers to use if purchasing one."
Those who prefer to bring their own mug can still snag their free coffee, provided their cup fits under the self-service machine's nozzle. It's worth noting that previously, Waitrose only dished out the gratis beverage to customers who made a purchase first.
This rule harks back to the original offer launched back in 2013. To claim the complimentary beverage, customers were required to bring a reusable cup.
In January last year Waitrose brought back free tea and coffee for customers signed up to its loyalty card, even if they do not buy anything from the supermarket.
The company emailed customers to inform them of the change from January 27, saying: 'You'll be able to get your free hot drink without buying anything in store first. Don't forget your reusable cup!'
Previously, the upmarket grocer requires myWaitrose members to buy something before they can claim their free drink. The myWaitrose scheme, which is being re-branded as My Waitrose, was introduced in 2011 and has nine million members.
It began offering a free tea or coffee without a purchase in 2013, making the supermarket the second-largest provider of coffee in the UK and raising concerns about its effect on smaller, independent coffee shops.
That year, the Gelateria Gazzeria, a cafe 20 yards from the Waitrose in Buckingham, filed a complaint with the Office of Fair Trading. The regulator said it would not be taking any action.
A year later, Andy Sawford, then the shadow communities minister, claimed it would 'further destroy the British high street'. Waitrose said the claim was 'nonsense'.
However, it changed its policy following long queues and complaints from regular shoppers who claimed that it was attracting freeloaders rather than genuine customers.
Waitrose clamped down on the scheme in 2017, requiring loyalty card members to make a purchase. A year later, the supermarket stopped providing disposable cups, requiring customers to bring in their own reusable ones.
The supermarket said: 'Some of our My Waitrose members like to have the free coffee before they shop or during the shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback.
'In practice, lots of customers do this already, so this is just a formality as part of updated T&Cs.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Major housing update and NHS bombshell - Spending Review key points
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the Labour government's spending review with billions of pounds set aside for housing, the NHS and defence. Here The Mirror looks at the key details Chancellor Rachel Reeves has set out Labour's spending plans with multi-billion pound boosts for the NHS, defence and housing. Unveiling the long-awaited Spending Review, she hit out at the "destructive" Tory austerity she said created a "lost decade" for living standards. The Chancellor said total departmental budgets will grow by 2.3% per year in real terms as she promised to renew Britain after the mess left behind by the Tories. PM Keir Starmer earlier told the Cabinet that the Spending Review "marks the end of the first phase of this Government, as we move to a new phase that delivers on the promise of change for working people all around the country and invests in Britain's renewal". Here The Mirror looks at the key details of the Chancellor's Spending Review. NHS funding The NHS was the big winner in today's Spending Review with the Chancellor ploughing £29billion into the health service in additional funding by 2028/29. Ms Reeves said this represents a rise in real-terms of around 3% each year as she described the crisis-hit NHS as the public's "most treasured" public service. "More appointments. More doctors. More scanners. The National Health Service, created by a Labour government, protected, by a Labour government, and renewed, by this Labour Government," she told MPs in the Commons. She added: "I am proud to announce today that this Labour Government is making a record cash investment in our NHS, increasing real-terms, day-to-day spending by 3% per year for every year of this spending review. "An extra £29 billion per year for the day-to-day running of the health service. That is what the British people voted for and that is what we will deliver. " Affordable housing boost Hundreds of thousands of new affordable homes will be built over the next decade under a £39billion package announced today. Ms Reeves described it as the "biggest cash injection" in 50 years. During today's statement the Chancellor said it will help turn the tide on the country's housing crisis. It also forms part of the pledge to build 1.5million new homes by 2029. Ms Reeves said: "Led by (Angela Rayner), we are taking action. I am proud to announce the biggest cash injection into social and affordable housing in 50 years. A new Affordable Homes Programme - in which I am investing £39 billion over the next decade. "Direct Government funding that will support housebuilding especially for social rent and I am pleased to report that towns and cities including Blackpool, Preston, Sheffield and Swindon already have plans to bring forward bids to build new houses." Winter fuel U-turn details The Chancellor confirmed plans to restore winter fuel payments to millions of pensioners after a major U-turn last month. OAPs with an income of £35,000 or below in England and Wales will receive the benefit this winter. It is a major uplift from the current £11,500 cut-off point announced last summer. It means nine million pensioners will now be eligible for the winter support. Around two million pensioners whose income is above £35,000 will have the payment automatically recovered or can opt out from receiving it. Bus fare cap Bus passengers will be protected from fare hikes as the £3 cap on single tickets was extended. In a major boost for bus users, Ms Reeves Reeves said she will protect the nationwide price cap on single trips, which had been due to run out at the end of the year. The cost-of-living lifeline will now be in place across England until March 2027. Single fares could rise by up to £12 in the worst hit areas if the cap is lifted. The Department for Transport previously said a journey between Leeds and Scarborough could cost £15, while a fare from Hull to York would hit £8.50. Free school meals In a major boost to low income families, the Chancellor said free school meals will be extended to more than half a million children. Keir Starmer unveiled the plans last week to help all kids in families who get Universal Credit in England - in a move that could save parents up to £500 a year. Ms Reeves said the policy will lift 100,000 children out of poverty. Schools will also get a major boost to per pupil funding, with £4.5billion extra for the core schools budget. Defence spending In an "age of insecurity" the Chancellor said defence spending will rise to 2.6% of GDP by 2027. She said the figure includes spending on intelligence agencies. 'We will make Britain a defence industrial superpower," Ms Reeves vowed. Keir Starmer previously set out plans to hike defence spending to 2.5% - paid for by slashing billions of pounds from the overseas aid budget. Nuclear power The government announced over £14billion worth of investment will go towards building the Sizewell C nuclear power plant on the Suffolk coast. The Treasury said the move - championed by Keir Starmer earlier this week - will help create 10,000 jobs and hundreds of apprenticeships. The Chancellor said today it will also power six million homes. No new nuclear power plant has opened in the UK for three decades with all the existing stations - except Sizewell B - likely to be phased out in the early 2030s. Asylum seeker hotels The Government will end the "costly" use of hotels to house asylum seekers in this Parliament, Rachel Reeves told the Commons. The Chancellor said: "The party opposite left behind a broken system: billions of pounds of taxpayers' money spent on housing asylum seekers in hotels, leaving people in limbo and shunting the cost of failure onto local communities. We won't let that stand." Ms Reeves said cutting the asylum backlog, hearing more appeal cases, and returning people who have no right to be in the UK will save the taxpayer £1 billion per year.
Daily Mirror
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Florian Wirtz U-turn and swap transfer plan leaves Liverpool with three options
Liverpool are tantalisingly close to sealing a blockbuster move for Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz, but must ramp up their efforts in order to get a deal over the line Florian Wirtz, the 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen prodigy, has emerged as one of Europe's most coveted talents. The German attacking midfielder, lauded for his vision, technical brilliance, and knack for unlocking defences, is a top target for Liverpool, who view him as a transformative addition and a midfield cornerstone for years to come. With Leverkusen having already rejected a reported £114million bid, the Reds' pursuit of Wirtz has hit a critical juncture. Negotiations are now entangled in financial complexities, aesthetic considerations, and a pair of bold potential swap deals. While Liverpool remain confident, they'll need to step up their efforts if they're to get this blockbuster move over the line. This leaves them with three compelling options, each of which could pave the way for one of the biggest transfers in football history. Here, Mirror Football breaks down the key developments and where things stand in the race to land Wirtz. Option 1: Break the bank The simplest, yet most daunting, route is for Liverpool to meet Leverkusen's stratospheric valuation, which stands at €150m (£127m). A fee north of £115m would smash the British transfer record, set by Chelsea when they bought Moises Caicedo from Brighton in 2023 - a move Liverpool nearly hijacked. It would be a bold statement of intent, particularly for a club that waltzed their way to the Premier League title in 2024/25. Wirtz's flair and vision are seen as the missing piece in a midfield already boasting Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch - and the Reds clearly believe he could propel the team to new heights. Yet, such a colossal outlay would stretch even Fenway Sports Group's (FSG) deep pockets, potentially curbing funds for other targets, such as a new centre forward. It's a high-risk, high-reward move that would signal Liverpool's unyielding ambition and their belief in Wirtz's ability to live up to a monumental price tag. That said, the added burden of becoming the most expensive player in British football history is something Liverpool appear keen to sidestep. Their recent £114m bid - just £1 million below the current record - suggests a deliberate attempt to avoid that pressure. But if they're serious about landing the German, breaking the record now looks inevitable. Unless, that is, they get creative with the structure of the deal. Which brings us to... Option 2: Leverkusen 'swap deal' Liverpool could decide to leverage Bayer Leverkusen's long-standing interest in Curtis Jones as a makeweight. The 24-year-old Liverpool academy graduate has impressed with his dynamism and versatility, catching Leverkusen's eye in the past few months. Including Jones in the deal could significantly reduce Wirtz's eye-watering fee, making the transfer more palatable for Liverpool's accountants and sparing Wirtz the strain of being a record buy. But, parting with Jones - a homegrown talent who embodies the club's spirit - would sting supporters and risk weakening the squad's depth. Manager Arne Slot is a big admirer of Jones, having used him in 46 of Liverpool's 56 matches in all competitions this season. Jones is considered a big part of the club's long-term future and isn't on the chopping block by any means, but if sending him to Leverkusen unlocks the Wirtz deal then it might be worth considering. After all, Wirtz's arrival could reduce Jones' playing time. Both players operate in similar areas of the pitch, and with competition for places already fierce heading into the 2025/26 season, the addition of a record signing - unlikely to be rotated or benched - could push Jones towards the edges of the squad. No doubt, this is a proposal that demands a delicate balance between ruthless ambition and emotional loyalty. But given the magnitude of the deal - and what's at stake - it's a dilemma worth serious consideration. Option 3: Bayern 'swap deal' Another option involves raising funds by selling Cody Gakpo to Bayern Munich, who have shown interest in the Dutch forward. Gakpo, versatile and industrious, has been a key - if, admittedly, dispensable - part of Liverpool's front-line, but Bayern's need for attacking reinforcements could see them table a substantial offer. It's understood that Slot is reluctant to lose Gakpo, but would be open to a sale if the offer is too good to refuse. Interestingly, Bayern - previously front-runners to sign Wirtz - have reportedly shelved their plans to sign a No. 10 in favour of strengthening their attack. The Bundesliga champions are set to lose Leroy Sane this summer, and view Gakpo as an ideal replacement: a natural goalscorer capable of operating both on the wings and centrally to provide cover for Harry Kane. But luring him to the Allianz Arena won't be easy. The Netherlands international has just enjoyed his best season at Liverpool, notching 25 goal contributions in 49 appearances. As such, the Reds have significant leverage, and Mirror Football understands they'd only consider selling him for a bid in the region of £75m. If that price is met, the money could be used to cover roughly half of Wirtz's transfer fee, helping preserve Liverpool's summer budget. However, losing a Premier League-proven performer, one showing signs of steady improvement, would be a tough pill to swallow - but one they might have to in order to secure Wirtz. Wirtz's U-turn As noted earlier, Wirtz was widely anticipated to join Bayern Munich this summer. The German giants have long perfected the art of recruiting top talent from their Bundesliga rivals and were reportedly confident of landing Wirtz after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations and a direct charm offensive. However, they were ultimately outcharmed by Liverpool, who managed to turn the midfielder's head. In a gesture of respect and class, it later emerged that Wirtz personally phoned Bayern boss Vincent Kompany to inform him of his decision and explain his reasons, according to Bild. It suggests that the youngster will not only bring his jaw-dropping ability to Merseyside, but also a notable level of maturity, if indeed the transfer is completed. This maturity may help to explain Liverpool's willingness to shatter the British transfer record to sign him. Owners FSG reportedly greenlit a mega-money approach last month after chief executive Michael Edwards travelled to the US to personally present the case for Wirtz's value. It's also understood that the German international was captivated not just by the electric atmosphere at Anfield during Leverkusen's Champions League clash with Liverpool last year, but also by the club's Melwood training ground, where Leverkusen trained the following day. The road ahead Liverpool stand at a crossroads in their pursuit of Wirtz. They must choose between shattering the British transfer record, sacrificing Gakpo to Bayern, or using Jones as a bargaining chip with Leverkusen. Wirtz's U-turn has handed the Reds a golden opportunity, but with Leverkusen's steely resolve - and Bayern still lurking in the background - the stakes remain sky-high. Despite rumours of a done deal, no contract has been signed, and Liverpool's next move will undoubtedly define their transfer window. For the Anfield faithful, the wait is agonising, but the prospect of Wirtz orchestrating their midfield next season and beyond is a dream worth holding out for.
Wales Online
30 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Seven key points from Rachel Reeves Spending Review - where your money is going
Seven key points from Rachel Reeves Spending Review - where your money is going There will be more money for police, schools and the NHS - and less spent on housing asylum seekers in hotels Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivers her Government's spending review to MPs in the House of Commons Rachel Reeves said 'we are renewing Britain' as she set out how she plans to spend hundreds of billions of pounds of taxpayers' money. The Chancellor said total departmental budgets would grow by 2.3% a year in real terms and promised a 'record cash investment' in the NHS, amounting to an extra £29 billion a year. Setting out the spending review in the House of Commons, Ms Reeves said the tax hikes and looser borrowing rules allowed her to spend £190 billion more on the day-to-day running of public services and £113 billion on investment. Ms Reeves promised funding of up to £280 million more per year by the end of the spending review period in 2028/29 for the new Border Security Command and committed to end spending on hotels for asylum seekers by the next election. The Chancellor said her 'driving purpose' was 'to make working people, in all parts of our country, better off' as she promised cash to rebuild schools and hospitals, confirmed funding for nuclear power schemes and major transport projects across the country. 'We are renewing Britain,' she said. 'But I know that too many people in too many parts of our country are yet to feel it.' As well as changing Treasury rules to support investment in England's regions, Ms Reeves said the spending review period would provide £52 billion for Scotland, £20 billion for Northern Ireland and £23 billion for Wales. Border Security and asylum seekers Article continues below At least £280 million a year will be invested into border security by 2028-29, including into the Border Security Command, to tackle people-smuggling gangs running small boats. Funding of at least £400 million a year by 2028-29 will speed up the process of asylum processing, increase appeals capacity and continue asylum returns alongside ending the costly use of hotels for accommodation. More money for the NHS The Government is increasing real-terms day to day spending in the NHS by 3% per year for every year of the review period, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced, providing an extra '£29 billion per year' for the health service. Ms Reeves said the Government was spending £10 billion on digitising services as part of the Government's 10-year plan for the health service. She said: 'To support that plan, to back the doctors and nurses we rely on, and to make sure the NHS is there whenever we need it, I am proud to announce today that this Labour Government is making a record cash investment in our NHS, increasing real-terms, day-to-day spending by 3% per year for every year of this spending review. 'An extra £29 billion per year for the day-to-day running of the health service. That is what the British people voted for and that is what we will deliver. More appointments. More doctors. More scanners. 'The National Health Service, created by a Labour government, protected, by a Labour government, and renewed, by this Labour Government.' More money for police Police spending power will see an average 2.3% real terms increase over the Spending Review period as the government puts police back on the beat in communities across England and Wales. The Government has promised an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood roles. Transport The Chancellor announced £15.6 billion funding in total by 2031-32 for local transport projects in England's city regions and £2.3 billion from 2026-27 to 2029-30 for local transport improvements outside of these nine regions. The Chancellor announced a further £2.5 billion to connect Oxford and Cambridge through the continued delivery of East-West Rail and confirmed she will set out plans to take forward work on Northern Powerhouse Rail in the coming weeks. Funding announced today will deliver upgrades to Cardiff Central station, reduce journey times between Manchester and Leeds through continued investment in the TransPennine Route Upgrade, and progress the delivery of Midlands Rail Hub, enhancing connections from Birmingham across the West Midlands and to other regions. Money for communities The Chancellor also confirmed additional funding for up to 350 communities, especially those in deprived areas, through Plans for Neighbourhoods – giving new long-term regeneration funding and supporting councils in their fightback against graffiti and fly-tipping across Britain. The money could be used for more parks, community centres and libraries. Devolved nations The Scottish Government will receive an average extra £2.9 billion across the duration of this Spending Review through the operation of the Barnett formula. In recognition of Scotland's unique needs, they will have 20% more to spend per individual than comparable UK Government spending for people in the rest of the UK. The Welsh Government will benefit from an average extra £1.6 billion over the Spending Review period through the Barnett formula to deliver against the priorities of working people in Wales, and 20% more to spend per individual than comparable UK Government does for people in the rest of the UK. The Northern Ireland Executive will receive an average extra £1.2 billion through the Barnett formula, 24% more to spend per person than the comparable UK Government spending in the rest of the UK, reflecting Northern Ireland's unique circumstances. More money for schools, school buildings and nurseries Rachel Reeves has said £370 million will be spent on school-based nurseries, in addition to £555 million to 'break the dangerous cycle of late intervention and low-quality care'. The Chancellor told the Commons: 'I can also announce £370 million for school-based nurseries, to put us firmly on track to meet our Plan for Change commitment – for a record number of children being school-ready. Article continues below 'And for children's social care, to break the dangerous cycle of late intervention and low-quality care, I am providing £555 million of transformation funding over the spending review period, so that children do not go needlessly into care when they could stay at home. And, for children where state intervention is necessary, better care and better outcomes. 'And last week, I was pleased to announce, with … the Culture Secretary (Lisa Nandy) that more than £130 million from the Dormant Assets scheme with the financial services sector will be allocated to fund facilities for our young people, to give every child the chance to take part in music, sport and drama, to fund libraries in schools, so that the confidence and opportunities that those resources open up, are no longer the preserve of a privileged few.'
