3 days ago
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.'
