Co-op axes major loyalty perk for shoppers – here's what you need to know

If you're looking to save on your grocery shop, see our Supermarket coupons guide, as well as our guide on How to boost the value of supermarket loyalty points. You can also check out our Food and drink deals round-up for the latest discounts.

You'll no longer earn points on Co-op spending from 24 January 2024

Co-op shoppers who are signed up to its loyalty scheme – which it calls its 'membership' scheme – will no longer earn:

• 2p in rewards for every £1 spent on Co-op branded goods or services to spend on future Co-op purchases. Instead, shoppers will be offered discounts on both Co-op branded products and services and non-Co-op branded items through its "Member Prices" scheme.

  Examples of new Member Prices include a 19-pack of Pampers Baby Dry Pants, which cost £5 for members and £6 for non-members and a 1.1kg pack of Purina Bakers Small Dog Beef and Vegetable Mix, which costs £3.60 for members and £4 for non-members.

  Co-op had previously already offered Member Prices on certain deals, for example its lunch time meal deal, which costs £3.50 for members compared to £4 for non-members.

• 2p for charities for every £1 spent on Co-op branded goods or services. Members will be asked to vote for their charity of choice to receive a share of any money raised up until 24 January, which will then be donated in October this year.

Co-op said it's making the change as it's found that "member pricing is financially more rewarding". According to Co-op, there are close to 300 products available under its member prices scheme. 

The supermarket chain will continue to offer loyalty scheme members two personalised offers each week based on their spending.

You can get access to Co-op's loyalty scheme by becoming a Co-op member. This costs £1 and you can sign up via the Co-op website.

You have until 31 December to spend or donate your rewards balance

You have until 31 December 2024 to either donate your remaining rewards balance to a local charity or spend it in store on both branded and Co-op branded items. If you don't use it by this deadline, you'll lose it.

You can't use your rewards balance against Co-op products bought through delivery platform Deliveroo.

Co-op isn't the only supermarket to shake-up its loyalty scheme – here's how it compares

While it's tricky to compare schemes directly as they all work differently, here's what some of the other big names offer:

• Asda has a loyalty scheme which enables you to earn 'cash' rewards known as 'Asda Pounds' either by buying certain products, completing 'missions', or spending on the Asda credit card. Any Asda Pounds you earn go into a 'cashpot' inside the app, which you can then redeem for vouchers.

• Morrisons initially scrapped its points-based 'More' scheme in 2021 in favour of personalised money-off vouchers under a scheme called 'My Morrisons'. But following feedback from shoppers, the points – and £5 vouchers – returned, as did the 'Morrisons More' name.

• Sainsbury'slaunched its 'Nectar Prices' scheme last April. It offers shoppers discounts on around 300 items in store and online. This runs alongside its points-based scheme, which enables shoppers to earn Nectar points at a rate of one point per £1 spent, with each point worth 0.5p.

• Tesco's Clubcard gives you one point per £1 spent, though here each point is worth 1p (and can be boosted). Having a Clubcard also lets you access lower 'Clubcard Prices' on some items in store and online.