SHOPPERS are only just realising that you can get free food and treats at Marks and Spencer.
The posh supermarket’s loyalty card scheme rewards members with free food.
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From free croissants and cookies to free Percy Pigs, shoppers have only just twigged the value of their M&S Sparks card.
Posting on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group one happy shopper said: “Free bag of Colin the Caterpillar OR Percy Pig sweets if you have the M&S sparks card.”
Another said: “Thanks to others who’ve posted about the free Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar sweets with the M&S Sparks card. I got some Phizzy Pigtails today.”
“Sparks treats are brilliant. Got a candle set for free with sparks card treats.
A third shopper said: “It should have cost £7.50. I seem to get a treat every month now too.”
In July 2020, M&S scrapped its traditional points card model and instead offers a rewards scheme for its shoppers.
Each time you shop at M&S in a store or online, you could now get a reward.
Rewards include discounts off whole product ranges like homeware or money off individual items.
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The Sparks card reward scheme is tailored to what each shopper buys.
For example, a shopper may be offered £2 off when they spend £15 on flowers and plants in-store.
We’ve also seen members getting 30p off iced tea and coffee in all M&S Cafes.
Sparks members are also rewarded with little “thank yous” – which equates to free treats and food.
Plus, one Sparks card customer is also picked at random every week to get their shopping for free.
M&S Sparks is free to sign up to, either via the M&S website or through the App Store or Google Play.
You’ll need to register with your name and email address before you can start redeeming rewards.
Once signed up, a member will be issued with a digital card on their app which can be scanned when shopping in-store.
Sparks was first launched in 2015, with shoppers able to “unlock” rewards, such as early access to sales and new food launches, by building up points.
Unlike other supermarket loyalty schemes, you couldn’t use your points to get cashback or vouchers.
But under the new system, you don’t physically build up points – instead, you’ll see free offers and discounts in your account.
How does the Sparks card compare to other loyalty schemes?
Asda Rewards, which launched last summer, gives shoppers money back when they buy “star products” or complete spending missions.
These offers are personalised, but typically a new customer might be offered £1 back for spending £75.
The money earned goes into your “Cashpot”, which can then be exchanged into a voucher in the app, to be redeemed at the till or by entering the code at the online checkout.
Tesco Clubcard members get one point for every £1 spent in-store and online or £2 on fuel from supermarket’s petrol stations.
Each point is worth 1p in Tesco, but they are currently worth three times the amount when you convert them into vouchers for Tesco’s partners. However, this is changing to double the amount in June.
Clubcard shoppers also get cheaper prices on over 8,000 products thanks to Clubcard Prices.
Sainsbury’s Nectar customers can use their card to collect points, either on a smartphone app, or with a physical card to collect and spend points.
You get a minimum of one point per £1 in stores and online at Sainsbury’s, plus bonus points are available on the Nectar app, via paper coupons at checkouts, or sent in the post.
You can also get one point for every litre of fuel at Sainsbury’s petrol stations. One point is worth 0.5p when shopping with the retailer.
Sainsbury’s recently launched “Nectar Prices”, which gives members discounts on over 300 items in-store and online.
Morrisons has also announced a big change to its loyalty scheme in recent weeks.
