Written by, Bojana Atanasovska
Updated October, 26, 2022
Waitrose, one of the biggest and oldest supermarkets in the country, recently revamped their loyalty program, promising more personalised perks for members.
So what are the current benefits of a Waitrose card, and is signing up for the company’s loyalty program worth it?
Let’s find out.
Waitrose is often perceived as catering to high-income clients—after all, the Duchess of Cambridge has shopped there. Nevertheless, it offers lots of opportunities for savings, in addition to superior quality, a great choice of products, and one of the best supermarket pizzas around.
The myWaitrose card, available as a physical and digital card, allows you to take part in the supermarket’s loyalty program. Unlike Sainsbury’s rewards program, which lets you earn points on your Nectar card and then redeem them at various retailers, myWaitrose gives users access to tailored offers and special deals.
The supermarket previously offered free newspapers for all myWaitrose cardholders who spent £10 while shopping as well as free hot beverages. These Waitrose rewards, however, were recently scrapped in favour of a new program said to offer more value and greater flexibility.
You can either use the physical card in the shop or scan the barcode at checkout with your mobile phone. Alternatively, you could open the app and access the card at the till, even if you do not have an internet connection.
The company encourages customers to use digital cards in an effort to cut down on the use of plastic. Plus, it takes about five to seven days to get the card in the mail, so you are much better off using the digital version.
So what does the new and improved myWaitrose program offer, and what Waitrose card benefits can members look forward to:
Waitrose personalised vouchers are tailored offers specifically designed according to your purchase history. This way, you will get access to more deals the more your shop.
These single-use vouchers can be redeemed via the MyWaitrose online hub, both on the app and in-store.
You will be reminded every Wednesday to redeem your weekly offer, which is great for busy shoppers who don’t want to miss out on their weekly deals.
With exclusive savings, myWaitrose members can get 20% off on meat and cheese counters every day and 20% off on fish every Friday.
This offer, though, is only available in-store and changes monthly, so check your nearest Waitrose to see what kind of savings you could get.
You may be interested in: How to Get Free Food in the UK?
myWaitrose members can still enjoy some of the old Waitrose card benefits and get a free copy of the Waitrose Food, Health and Drinks magazines every month.
The copies are available in-store, or you could have them delivered along with your groceries, but only while they are in stock. If you don’t want to miss out on handy cooking tips and healthy living advice, sign up to have the Waitrose magazines sent directly to your device—all you need to do is download the app.
The company partners with Johnsons the Cleaners to give myWaitrose members 5% off on all professional dry cleaning and laundry services at local supermarkets.
Additionally, you get laundry service for 4 select garments for £24 and 5 shirts washed and ironed for £10 by simply showing your myWaitrose card at the Welcome Desk.
Next up on the list of Waitrose rewards—10% off when booking a cookery class, where you’ll be guided by food experts as you attempt to reach new culinary heights.
myWaitrose members who also have a Vitality health or life insurance plan are able to earn up to 25% cashback when purchasing items with the Good Health logo. Users who have signed up for two plans, VitalityHealth and VitalityLife, can get up to 40% cashback.
How much you will get as cashback depends on how many Vitality activity points you gained in the previous month.
Who wants to wait in a long queue? One of the myWaitrose card benefits allows users to scan and pack their items as they shop and then pay at the Self-Checkout Area in the Waitrose supermarket.
Just swipe your card at the Quick Check rack, and you will be given a handset to scan your chosen products, or you can download the Quick Check Mobile app on your phone to scan items you have selected.
Waitrose is one of the top food retailers, and although considered a posh supermarket, their loyalty scheme does offer great deals and a chance to get plenty of savings every week. Plus, thanks to Waitrose’s personalised offers, regular customers can enjoy discounts customised to their tastes and shopping habits.
That said, the company recently cancelled some of their more popular benefits, such as the Waitrose free newspaper offer and the hot drinks discount, causing many customers to reconsider signing up for a myWaitrose card. Plus, Waitrose card benefits are still falling short compared to what other cashback and rewards apps out there offer.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. If you frequently shop at Waitrose, a myWaitrose card can give you exclusive savings and a slew of other benefits. Those who prefer other cheaper online supermarkets might want to look into their loyalty programs.
Unfortunately, the Waitrose free newspaper has been discontinued, causing many negative reactions across social media. According to the company, however, only 5% of customers used this deal.
This offer has been replaced with personalised vouchers and savings on select products that Waitrose says deliver more value to customers.
No, the free hot drinks offer is on hold for the time being. Waitrose has said that they plan to relaunch the offer, although they have not specified when.
Loyal customers can enjoy the many benefits of a Waitrose card for free. Signing up for the card is easy and you can choose between a physical and digital card that will get you personalised vouchers, cashbacks, exclusive savings and other discounts.
Bojana is my name and writing is my game. I am a content writer from Bitola who is always interested in the latest research in almost all areas of life. I have a Bachelor’s degree in English literature and a perfectionist character, both of which help me find the most accurate data and information available. Although I have my head stuck in studies and reports most of the time, I still have a bit of free time during which I enjoy knitting and watching classic 90’s Disney movies.