‘Big mistake’: Shoppers react as Waitrose scraps free newspaper offer

Waitrose will no longer offer free newspapers for its loyalty card customers when they spend £10 or more.

The supermarket chain, which is owned by the John Lewis Partnership, made the announcement in an email that was circulated to holders of the myWaitrose card on 3 February.

The offer, which gives customers a free newspaper when they shop at the store using their loyalty card, will end from 22 February.

“Nobody shops quite like you – so we’re updating myWaitrose to make it even more personal,” the email said.

“As part of these changes, the myWaitrose newspaper offer will be ending on 22 February 2022. But we’re replacing it with something new – look our for updates in the coming weeks. Thank you for your continued loyalty.”

The supermarket added: “Look out for updates in the coming weeks – and in the meantime, keep using your myWaitrose card, because the more you use it, the more personalised we’ll be able to make your offers.”

In 2017, Waitrose faced a backlash when it introduced new rules asking myWaitrose customers to buy items first before claiming their free tea or coffee.

Then in 2018, it announced that it was taking away disposable cups and that customers had to use their own refillable containers if they wanted to take up the offer.

The supermarket later paused the offer during the pandemic, and a notice on its website currently says: “We’re so sorry, we’ve closed our coffee machines for the time being. We apologise for the inconvenience.”

The changes to the free newspaper offer has sparked an angry response from customers on social media.

“Dear Waitrose please explain to me how taking away coffee AND now newspapers is ‘more personal’?” one Twitter user said.

Another tweeted: “What?! @waitrose are stopping their #myWaitrose newspaper offer!! And their list of consolation offers are not comparable! The paper with the myWaitrose Saturday shop has been the cornerstone of our family’s weekend for YEARS! Not happy with this at all. I want to know why?!”

“You’re about to take away the only shopping benefit that I have ever used. Big mistake. If I’m going to spend big in my weekly shop I will now go to @marksandspencer permanently instead,” a third person said.

A spokesperson for Waitrose told the Independent: “We’re improving the myWaitrose programme to offer customers personalised discounts on the products they buy most.

“While the newspaper offer was enjoyed by some of our customers, in reality it was only being used by around five per cent of members.

“The new approach will mean that all members can make greater savings by receiving benefits tailored to them.”