Sainsbury's Nectar 'double-up' promo back again – what you need to know

Nectar has been running double-up promos for several years now, allowing you to double your points to spend in Sainsbury's in certain categories, such as clothing, homeware and electricals.

Here are the need-to-knows:

• You can swap points for vouchers at Nectar.com only, ONCE between Wednesday 28 October and Tuesday 3 November.

• You then have a second window to exchange points for vouchers, this time via the Nectar app (available on Android and iPhone), from Wednesday 11 to Tuesday 17 November. There's no restriction on how many times you can exchange points via the app, and these will appear as digital double-up vouchers in your saved offers.

• You can spend double-up vouchers in larger Sainsbury's stores between 11 and 17 November, and can't spend the vouchers online. 

See our Loyalty Points Boosting guide for more on how the Nectar scheme works, plus info on the Tesco Clubcard and Boots Advantage schemes.

What are Nectar points?

Nectar is the loyalty scheme used by Sainsbury's to reward its customers for shopping at the supermarket. You can also collect Nectar points when spending at other retailers including Argos, Asos and eBay, and when shopping at certain retailers via the Nectar website (see the full list of participating brands).

Shoppers currently earn one Nectar point per £1 spent at Sainsbury's, and when redeemed in store, each Nectar point is usually worth 0.5p – so 1,000 points equals £5. But you can sometimes get more for your points by exchanging them via the Nectar app and website to spend on days out, entertainment and restaurants.

How many points can I swap for vouchers?

You can exchange up to 10,000 points in denominations of 1,000 points, so 2,000 points would equal £20, rather than the usual £10. You'll need a minimum of 1,000 points to take part.

What can I exchange points on?

You can exchange points in 11 categories:

• Cosmetics

• Electricals 

• Entertainment 

• Fragrance

• Gifting

• Homeware

• Seasonal

• Skincare

• Taste the Difference wine, champagne, sherry and port 

• Toys

• Tu Clothing 

Where can I spend vouchers?

Double-up vouchers can only be spent in larger stores, by scanning them at the till when you shop. 

They can't be spent online, or at Sainsbury's Locals, Centrals, petrol stations, concessions, Argos or Argos at Sainsbury's.

Vouchers are non-refundable and non-transferable, so make sure you will definitely spend in the 11 categories before exchanging. You can't earn Nectar points on double-up purchases.

Sainsbury's has said that each voucher you receive has to be spent in one transaction. So, for example, you wouldn't be able to spend a £70 voucher over two shopping trips. But if you have more than one voucher, you can choose to spend them over more than one shop.

What happens if I lose my voucher?

Vouchers are non-refundable, so if you lose a paper voucher there's no way to recover your points. Keep 'em safe!

If you've digital vouchers on your Nectar app, these will remain in the app ready to use throughout the double-up promo period.

Can I buy something worth more than I have in vouchers?

Yes. If your item is worth more than the value of your voucher, you can pay the rest in cash or by card.

Alternatively, you can use any Nectar points you have remaining on your card at the rate of £5 equals 1,000 points to pay the difference. You must have a minimum of £2.50's worth of points before you can spend them.

Can I get change from double-up vouchers?

Here it gets a little fiddly:

• If the difference in price between your voucher and what you want to buy is more than 5p... you'll have to buy other items included in the double-up for the full value of the Nectar voucher to be spent in one transaction.

• If the difference is 5p or less... Sainsbury's will knock it off your total shopping bill, or give it to you as change if you aren't buying anything else.

What if I buy something and want to return it?

If you change your mind about a double-up item, as long as you have proof of purchase and it's in its original condition, it can be returned or exchanged within 30 days in line with Sainsbury's usual returns policy.