Latest news with #loyaltyScheme
The Sun
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
American Express issues major update on British Airways points change after big overhaul left customers furious
AMERICAN Express has issued a major update on British Airways points, following the airline's recent overhaul of its loyalty scheme. Thousands of Amex cardholders will soon be able to earn "tier points" through their spending, unlocking elite perks with the airline, according to airline rewards website Head for Points. 1 The offer comes after a controversial update to the airline's loyalty scheme earlier this year, which means customers now need to spend more to achieve elite status. Travellers flying with British Airways or its Oneworld partners earn Avios to save on future flights and tier points to determine their BA Club status. The number of tier points you earn in a year decides whether you'll be in Blue, Bronze, Silver, or Gold membership levels. Blue status is given automatically to anyone who joins, but nearly half of the scheme's 13million members hold Bronze status or higher. These higher-tier statuses unlock perks, including complimentary seat selection, priority check-in, additional hold baggage allowance and access to the airline's airport lounges. Before April 1, you earned tier points based on how far you flew. Now, you earn one tier point for every £1 you spend on flights and holiday packages. To achieve higher statuses like Silver, which offers business class lounge access, you now need to spend £7,500 a year - significantly more than before. British Airways Amex cardholders already earn Avios on their spending, but they couldn't earn tier points before April's changes. The standard blue card earns 1 Avios per £1 spent, while the Premium Plus card, costing £300 a year, earns 1.5 Avios per £1. How to safeguard your holiday: A guide to ATOL protection and vetting travel companies However, from today, Premium Plus cardholders are able to earn up to 2,500 tier points in a membership year through their spending. Customers will earn 750 tier points for spending £15,000 on the card. If they spend an extra £5,000 (reaching £20,000), they'll get another 750 tier points. Spending a further £5,000 (a total of £25,000) will earn them an additional 1,000 tier points. Earning 2,500 tier points won't make much of a dent in the 20,000 needed for Gold status, but it's helpful for those aiming for Bronze or Silver. With 2,500 tier points from the Amex card, Bronze members would only need 1,000 more tier points, which can be earned by spending £1,000 directly with British Airways. Customers with the fee-free British Airways Amex Card aren't eligible for this offer. To participate in the offer, you'll need to enrol through the American Express app or website. Upon enrolment, you;ll also receive 500 free tier points automatically. British Airways said that there will be further opportunities to earn tier points using the Premium Plus credit card from April 2026. Meanwhile, customers booking flights with British Airways can enjoy bonus tier points on bookings made until December 31. This offer was originally set to end on February 14 but was extended after customer backlash. For example, you can earn 75 extra tier points for a short-haul economy flight and 150 extra tier points for a long-haul economy flight. To benefit from a tier points bonus, you must register your British Airways Club membership number by visiting Should you stay loyal to BA or look elsewhere? If you fly regularly - especially as part of your job - then the BA Club may still be beneficial for you. But you should never book a flight with BA or an affiliated airline just to earn points if money is tight. If your priority is cutting costs, concentrate solely on finding the lowest ticket price. Platforms like Skyscanner, Google Flights, and Kayak allow you to tailor your search to highlight the most affordable options. You can also convert your unused Avios into Nectar points. These can be redeemed for shopping, used to save 5p per litre on fuel, or even put towards other purchases For example, 500 Nectar points can be exchanged for £2.50 off at retailers like Argos or Sainsbury's. FLY LIKE A GOLD MEMBER FOR LESS IT is possible to get Gold member perks for free or cheap. You might assume that luxury perks like lounge access and fast-track security are exclusive to frequent or business class flyers, but that's not the case. Cheap or 'free' lounge access Airline lounges are usually reserved for frequent flyers or business class passengers - but there are ones such as No1 Lounges that you can pay to get access to. If you have a NatWest or Barclays Premier bank account then you can get free access to some lounges. On the Beach is offering free airport lounge access with 5-star holiday bookings for 2025. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is free to join and you can get discounts on passes to No1 Lounges. Rob Burgess, editor of frequent flyer website said: "You could get a credit card which comes with a Priority Pass lounge card. "Good options are the free for a year Amex Gold card (four free airport lounge passes per year), Amex Platinum (unlimited lounge access for up to four people) or the Lloyds World Elite Mastercard, which is £15 per month but offers unlimited airport lounge access." But always remember to pay off your balance in full each month, as interest charges may outweigh the perks. If you can't get free entry then prices start around £20. This can work out cheaper than paying for a meal and drink at the airport - but you need to weigh up the costs. Read reviews before you book as the facilities vary. Baggage loopholes If you fly with Easyjet then there is a loophole to get a second hand luggage bag for free. You are allowed to bring one bag from Duty Free - but MoneySavingExpert says it's heard from customers who have used this to store their handbag. Cheaper and better seats It is possible to sit together for free if you're flying BA, easyJet or Virgin - if you know the tricks. Try and check in as soon as it opens online and you will usually be able to sit together. With EasyJet you can check in 30 days in advance. You have to pay to get a specific seat, but the earlier you check-in the more likely you are to get a better one and be able to sit together. BA, Virgin Atlantic and Tui guarantee that kids under 12 will be sat with at least one adult. If you're flying with Ryanair, MoneySavingExpert says it can be cheaper to select the basic fare and then add extras rather than selecting the regular one. It says its seen costs of baggage and seat allocation can be up to 60% cheaper using this trick.
The Sun
09-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
John Lewis to make major change to loyalty scheme – and it'll cost you more
JOHN Lewis will make a major change to it's loyalty scheme and it will cost customers more. Partnership credit card holders will see their perks slashed when they shop with other retailers. 1 Customers with the card earn points on purchases which they can convert into gift vouchers to spend in John Lewis and its sister brand Waitrose. Each point coverts into 1p. Currently customers earn a point for every £4 they spend at other stores. However come August that is set to change, with the amount increasing to £10. It means customers will have to spend more money at other stores to receive vouchers or wait a longer time to see their rewards build up. The rewards for spending at John Lewis and Waitrose stores will remain unchanged at five points for every £4 spent. Customers also get a £5 voucher for every 500 points they earn. John Lewis Money spokesperson said: 'Our rewards are being updated to help maintain our market-leading reward for spending at John Lewis and Waitrose, where customers earn 1.25% back on every pound spent. "Spending on purchases made elsewhere will earn 0.1% from 1st August." It is not the first time the retailer has lowered rewards for spending elsewhere. The £3.50 M&S buy that'll make your whole house smell like a 'boujee candle' In 2020, the retailer reduced the amount customers of points customers earn from purchases made at other stores from one point for £2 spent to £4. But it is not all bad news for card holders, with the retailer announcing bigger rewards for loyal customers. For the next three years, shoppers will earn triple points when shopping in John Lewis stores and double points when shopping online. The spokesperson added: These changes enable us to invest in the rewards that are most valued by our customers - alongside a new bonus to help customers earn additional points throughout August.' PARTNERSHIP CREDIT CARD John Lewis's credit card lets customers earn points on money they spend in stores and other retailers. Customers can also get certain perks such as discounted cinema tickets. If you are interested in signing up you will need to undergo a credit check. But it is important to check the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on any credit card before you sign up. This is amount of interest you will be charged, if you do not pay off your credit card in full every month. John Lewis charges customers 28.9% APR on its Partnership card. Credit card need-to-knows Not using a credit card effectively can wreak havoc on your finances and your credit score. If you don't keep up with repayments or default on your debt, you are likely to get a black mark on your credit record, which could affect your ability to get a credit card, loan or mortgage in the future. It's important not to let yourself get sucked into overspending. You should always clear the full balance as soon as possible. If you have a poor credit score, don't bank on being approved for a card or getting the 0% deal you'd hoped for. Card providers only have to give the advertised rate to 51% of applicants, so you could end up paying more interest than you bargained for. If you've got a poor credit record, you're less likely to get the best rates. And if you are looking for a new credit card, don't apply for lots at once. After your 0% period is up, lenders can charge upwards of 40% interest, so if you have not repaid the debt fully by then, try to move the debt onto another 0% deal.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Waitrose to make huge loyalty scheme change this week that will leave shoppers divided
WAITROSE is making a huge change to its loyalty scheme as it adds a new perk but shoppers will be divided. The supermarket is offering shoppers the chance to borrow a reusable coffee cup so they can redeem their free coffee when shopping as part of a new trial. 1 Shoppers will have seven days to return the cup to a designated collection point or they will be charged a £3 penalty. The trial will reduce plastic waste as part of a 'circular' system. The scheme will be available in nine branches before it can be rolled out more widely. It is understood that its store in Newark is one of the shops taking part in the trial. To 'Borrow a Free Cup' shoppers will need to tap their MyWaitrose card. They can then fill the cup from Waitrose's hot drinks machine as usual. A Waitrose spokesperson said: '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.' Shoppers who bring their own cup will still be able to claim their free coffee. The only requirement for the reusable cups is that they fit under the nozzle of the self-service coffee machine. What other changes has Waitrose made in store? The move is the latest update to the supermarket's free hot drink offer after it changed its free coffee terms and conditions in January. Shopper reveals the 'best time' to hit Waitrose for yellow sticker bargains, as she bags strawberries and milk for 69p Previously the posh supermarket only offered the free drink to shoppers who bought something in store first. This is the same rule as was initially brought in when the deal was first launched in 2013. Shoppers still needed to bring a reusable cup in order to bag the freebie. Waitrose brought back the free coffee perk in October 2022 after it was axed in 2017 to cut costs. Supermarket loyalty schemes - which has one? MOST UK supermarkets have loyalty schemes so customers can build up points and save money while they shop. Here we round up what saving programmes you'll find at the big brands. Iceland: Unlike other stores, you don't collect points with the Iceland Bonus Card. Instead, you load it up with money and Iceland will give you £1 for every £20 you save. Lidl Plus: Lidl customers don't collect points when they shop, and are instead rewarded with personalised vouchers that gives them money off at the till. Morrisons: The My Morrisons: Make Good Things Happen replaces the More Card and rewards customers with personalised money off vouchers via the app. Sainsbury's: While Sainsbury's doesn't have a personal scheme, it does own the Nectar card which can also be used in Argos, eBay and other shops. You need 200 Nectar points to save up £1 to spend on your card. You need to spend at least £1 to get one Nectar point. Tesco: Tesco Clubcard has over 17million members in the UK alone. You use it each time you shop and build up points that can be turned into vouchers - 150 points gets you a £1.50 voucher. Here you need to spend £1 in Tesco to get one point. Waitrose: myWaitrose also doesn't allow you to collect points but instead you'll get access to free hot drinks, and discounts off certain brands in store. Supermarket staff handed out cups to customers after they had paid for their shopping and there was no minimum spend. The move left some members fuming while others criticised it and pointed out that you could buy a small item, such as a banana, to get the free drink. Last August Waitrose trialled recyclable disposable coffee cups in ten of its stores. It originally removed disposable cups from its stores in 2018 to reduce waste. The change meant that only shoppers who brought their own cup could claim their free coffee. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@
The Sun
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Greggs is making a big change to its loyalty scheme this month and it will be easier to get freebies
GREGGS is giving its popular loyalty scheme a major refresh this month – and fans can now get freebies faster. The bakery chain, which has branches across the UK, kicked off a new month-long promotion on 2 June, offering customers double stamps on selected menu items when buying between 11am and 2pm. 3 3 The offer is running in four weekly phases, with a new product category featured each week. This week (June 2–8), all hot, cold and made-to-order sandwiches qualify for double stamps – including baguettes, wraps, flatbreads, burgers and rolls. Meal deal fans won't miss out either, as they'll get stamps on all eligible items in their basket, as long as their lunch falls within the promotion window. From 9 to 15 June, the spotlight turns to "Hot Snacks", while between 16 and 22 June, it's the turn of the bakery's popular range of bakes, though the famous Sausage Roll and Vegan Sausage Roll are excluded. The final week, 23 to 29 June, will feature double stamps on all iced drinks. Customers earn one stamp per qualifying purchase in a category, and after nine stamps, they can claim a free item in that category. With this promotion, customers could earn two stamps per purchase – cutting the time it takes to grab a freebie in half. To take advantage of the offer, shoppers just need to scan the Greggs App in-store or order via click-and-collect. If you're not already signed up, downloading the app also gets you a free hot drink – and a sweet treat on your birthday. Full list of eligible items: Sandwiches (June 2–8) Baguettes Sliced bread sandwiches, stotties and made-to-order Oval Bites and Rolls Flatbreads Wraps Burgers (Excludes breakfast rolls/baguettes and sandwich platters) Hot Snacks (June 9–15) Southern Fried Chicken Goujons Southern Fried Potato Wedges Spicy BBQ Chicken Bites BBQ Bites Meal Box Crispy Chicken Bites Mozzarella & Cheddar Bites Bakes (June 16–22) Steak Bake Cheese & Onion Bake Sausage, Bean and Cheese Melt Vegetable Bake Corned Beef Bake Chicken Bake Red Pepper, Feta and Spinach Bake Scotch Pie Haggis Pie Bacon & Cheese Wrap Savoury Mince Pie (Excludes Sausage Rolls and Vegan Sausage Rolls) Iced Drinks (June 23–29) Iced Latte Iced Caramel Latte Iced Vanilla Latte Iced Caramelised Biscuit Latte Iced Americano Cloudy Lemonade Strawberry Lemonade Mint Lemonade Peach Iced Tea Mango & Strawberry Cooler 3
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Pets at Home's profits edge up as demand for vet services surges
Pets at Home saw underlying pre-tax profits across its veterinary arm rise by 23.3 per cent year-on-year to £75.9million, preliminary results show. But, across the chain's retail arm, underlying pre-tax profits slipped 16.6 per cent year-on-year to £72.9million. Revenue from vet services swelled by 13 per cent year-on-year, to £655.1million, comprising a third of total revenue at the business. Revenue from retail sales fell 1.8 per cent year-on-year to £1.3billion, Pets at Home said. Pets at Home has struggled with sluggish retail sales for the last few years, which it has previously attributed to weak footfall and a 'challenging UK consumer backdrop'. Across all its operations, the company reported an underlying pre-tax profit of £133million for the year ending 27 March, up from £132million the previous year. On retail sales, the group said the business was 'impacted by a period of subdued growth in the pet sector due to a soft UK consumer backdrop throughout FY25, deflation and normalising levels of new pet ownership.' Overall statutory revenue edged up 0.1 per cent to £1.48billion in the year to 27 March. The group said it had 8.2million members signed up to its loyalty scheme by the end of the period. On vet practice expansion, the group said: 'In FY26 we plan to open at least 10 new JV practices alongside 15 extensions.' Pets at Home increased its dividend for shareholders by 1.6 per cent year-on-year, from 12.8p to 13p. Pets at Home shares fell 0.38 per cent or 1.00p to 261.40p on Wednesday, having fallen over 7 per cent in the last year. Chief executive Lyssa McGowan, said: 'The past two years have seen a profound transformation at Pets at Home. 'We have moved from a business with a strong presence in pet retail and vets, to a true pet care platform.' She added: 'In FY25, we also saw another outstanding year of growth in our vets business, fuelled by the commitment and expertise of our partners, supported by our best-in-class scale services, platform benefits and industry knowhow. 'Our practices significantly outperformed a more subdued industry backdrop and delivered this progress despite the ongoing uncertainty of the CMA investigation – further demonstration of the power of our unique joint venture model.' The Competition and Markets Authority has been investigating the veterinary sector and is probing whether a lack of competition in the industry has contributed to surging prices. Across businesses in the sector, prices for treatments grew by 60 per cent between 2015 and 2023, compared with inflation of 35 per cent for other general services, according to CMA research. The CMA is pushing for more transparency over pricing as part of the overhaul due to be finalised in the coming months. In addition to the price caps, the CMA is examining whether a ban on bonuses linked to offering specific treatments would be viable. Adam Vettese, a market analyst at eToro, said: 'Pets at Home are putting their best paw forward with the veterinary side of the business, which is continuing to show robust growth. 'This has helped offset weaker retail performance and brought overall results in line with market expectations. Pre-tax profit and earnings per share rose, reflecting operational resilience despite a challenging macro environment. 'The board's confidence is evident in the 1.6 per cent dividend hike to 13.0p, signalling optimism for long-term growth. 'However, headwinds persist. Elevated costs, softer retail footfall, and the ongoing CMA probe into veterinary pricing practices continue to cloud the outlook.'
