SHOPPERS are only just realising that Tesco has made a major change to a scheme that’s popular during the Christmas holidays.
The supermarket giant‘s Clubcard Christmas Savers scheme allows customers to collect points and save vouchers throughout the year.
These vouchers can then be spent over the Christmas period when people usually do bigger grocery shopping for their festive meals.
However, a recent change to the scheme created confusion among customers, with one vowing to spend their money “elsewhere”.
Some shoppers were left under the impression that the scheme had been stopped altogether, but Tesco told The Sun that this is not the case.
The supermarket explained that the only element that has changed is that since April 1, customers can no longer top up their vouchers in the scheme and receive a bonus.
However, Tesco said that any top-up and bonus vouchers shoppers have saved between December 26, 2024, and April 1, 2024, will still be sent out to customers in November, as normal.
Some customers discussed the change on a Tesco Facebook group, where someone wondered why the scheme was no longer available.
But someone else clarified that the scheme is still open, even though now you can’t top up the vouchers.
Thinking the scheme had been scrapped, someone wrote on the social media platform: “Thousands people used and relied on that I think it’s stupid stopping it.”
Another added: “I also think it’s a bad move on Tesco I used to save from jan to nov and would spend £400 at Christmas solely in Tesco’s stores now I will spend my money elsewhere.”
But a shopper said: “It’s still on the app.”
And another clarified: “You can’t top your Xmas saver up with cash though it’s only the points you collect that you can save.”
A Tesco spokesperson told The Sun: “Our Clubcard Christmas Savers scheme remains open to customers and allows them to save all their Clubcard vouchers throughout the year ready to spend on their big Christmas shop.
“We are always looking at how we can improve the scheme and will keep our customers updated as we continue to help them save for the festive period.”
The announcement that top-ups would no longer be available starting from April was made at the end of 2023.
Tesco said in an email to customers: “Top-ups will only be available from December, 26 2023 to 1 April 2024.
“Between these dates, you can still top up to a maximum of £360 and receive up to a £12 bonus on us.
“To top up your savings, just visit the Customer Service Desk in large stores, as you do now.
“From April 2, 2024, top-ups will no longer be available, but everything else will stay the same.”
With the Christmas Savers scheme, Tesco looks after the vouchers you collect when shopping at the supermarket throughout the year and then sends them all in November, before Christmas.
The supermarket also sends statements throughout the year to allow customers to keep track of their savings.
To sign up for the scheme, you need to create a Tesco account and access the Vouchers Scheme page.
Then you need to purchase items using your Clubcard and the store will hoard your vouchers until the yearly deadline.
This year, the final opt-in date is October 16, according to Tesco’s website.
Clubcard vouchers and top-up vouchers are valid for two years, and bonus vouchers are valid for three months.
TESCO'S Clubcard scheme allows shoppers to earn points as they shop.
These points can then be turned into vouchers for money off food at the supermarket, or discounts at other places like restaurants and days out.
Each time you spend £1 in-store and online, you get one point when you scan your Clubcard.
Drivers using the loyalty card get one point for every two litres spent on fuel.
One point equals 1p, so 150 points gets you a £1.50 money-off voucher, for example.
You can double their worth when you swap them for discounts with “reward partners”.
For example, £12 worth of vouchers can be swapped for a £24 three-month subscription to Disney+.
Or you can swap 50p worth of points for £1 to spend at Hungry Horse pubs.
Where you can spend them changes regularly, and you can check on the Tesco website what’s available now.
Tesco shoppers can also get Clubcard prices when they have the loyalty card.
The discounted items change regularly and without a Clubcard you’ll pay a higher price.
These Clubcard prices are usually labelled on shelves, along with the non-member price.
But it’s worth noting that just because it’s discounted doesn’t necessarily make it the cheapest around, and you should compare prices to find the best deal.
You can sign up to get a Tesco Clubcard in store or online via the Tesco website.
Other supermarkets also run similar schemes to allow customers to save some money in the run-up to Christmas.
Morrisons shoppers can receive a money-off voucher by participating in the Christmas Collector scheme, which lasts five weeks.
The bonus voucher can then be spent over the Christmas holidays, but the exact dates change every year, so you should always check beforehand.
If you fail to cash the vouchers in by the expiry date, they expire.
To take part, you need to register online for the Morrisons More loyalty club, through the app, or talk to customer services.
Asda customers can save money with the supermarket’s Christmas Savings Card.
Depending on your balance on bonus day, customers will be rewarded with a cash bonus.
You will need to top up your card by 5pm on November 10, 2024, and Asda will top it up by 9am on Monday 11, 2024.
You will get a bonus of £1 for saving £30-£79.99, £3 for £80-£129.99, £6 for £130-£179.99, £9 for £180-£229.99, £12 for £230-£279.99, and £15 for £280 or more.
Iceland’s Bonus Card pays a bonus of up to 20% to customers.
This is not a Christmas bonus per se but can be used over the festive period.
It gives customers £1 extra to spend in stores when you save £20 on them, with a maximum of £1,000 saved per card.
Sainsbury’s has a Christmas Club Card that allows you to receive a 5% cash bonus when you save throughout the year.
The maximum value you can load onto Christmas Club Card is £1,975.
You can save from January to November 1 to get your bonus in time for Christmas.
The card can be used at Sainsbury’s and Argos, both in-store and online.
Co-op runs a store-only paper booklet throughout the year.
You’ll need to spend £48 to fill up your booklet with stamps, which cost £1 each.
When you spend that £48 in December, you will get a bonus of £2 to shop with.
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