SHOPPERS have been left furious after Tesco revealed plans to scrap its Christmas saving bonus.
The supermarket giant has told customers it will be stopping all top-ups for its Clubcard Christmas Savers from April 2024.
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Tesco’s Christmas Saver scheme lets shoppers turn points into vouchers through their Clubcard account.
Customers can pay cash into their Christmas Saver account and get a bonus.
They can get a £1.50 bonus if they save £25-£49.99 and up to £12 for £200 or more.
Now Tesco has emailed customers, stating that this part of the scheme is coming to an end.
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It reads: “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 the April 2, 2024, top-ups will no longer be available, but everything else will stay the same.”
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A Tesco spokesperson told The Sun it is “making some changes to the scheme” and top-ups will only be available up until the earlier date – but has not revealed what will replace it yet.
Usually shoppers can add money to the scheme to get the bonus until October.
“We’ll be updating our Clubcard Christmas Savers with our future plans in due course,” they added.
Shoppers will still be able to get the bonus next year, but they will have to add the cash before the far earlier April deadline.
After that, its not clear what saving incentives will be on offer.
Some shoppers are not happy about the change and have taken to social media to vent their frustration.
Posting in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group, one user said: “This is unfair, hope they bring out some sort of savings card like Asda and Sainsbury’s do.”
Another added: “I’m raging I always save up for my Xmas shop just have to do it early this year.”
And a third wrote: “I was going to start this, guess I won’t now.”
It comes after Tesco axed a scheme that allowed customers to collect savings “stamps” throughout the year which they could then use to buy items from the store in December.
How does the Clubcard Christmas Saver scheme work?
To sign up, create a Tesco account and access the Vouchers Scheme page.
Then simply purchase items with your Clubcard and the store will hoard your vouchers until the yearly deadline.
In 2023 the deadline was October 18.
If you add some extra cash into your account, which can be done in store, you will bag a bonus from Tesco.
Bonus vouchers are valid for two months while top-up vouchers will last a whole two years.
All of your discounts will come through in November and organised shoppers can start stocking up for Christmas.
Do other supermarkets have similar schemes?
Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Co-op all help their customers prepare for this time of year.
Members of the My Morrisons saver scheme can buy “stamps” throughout the year which are converted into Christmas vouchers.
You receive a £1 bonus for saving £49, £3 for saving £97, £4 for saving £146 and £194 gets you a £6 bonus.
Meanwhile, Co-op shoppers are handed paper savings books to put stamps in.
Each stamp costs £1 and you can buy a max of 48 per book, which you can redeem against your shopping at any time.
Plus, Sainsbury’s Christmas Club card holders will earn rewards of £2.50 for each full £50 you have saved on your card by November 1.
Shoppers can get up to a maximum of £25 on £500 savings.
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Additionally, at Asda, Christmas Savings Card members will see a bonus of £1 for saving between £30 and £79.99, £3 for between £80 and £129.99, £6 between £130 and £179.99, £9 between £180 and £229.99, £12 between £230 and £279.99 and £15 for £280 or more.
Check out a full list of how they work and how much money you can save.
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