Are Nectar cards worth it? What are the pros and cons of using them? Where can you use them? How much value can you get out of them? And have they changed over time? In this article, we will answer these questions and help you decide if Nectar cards are right for you.
While this article focuses on the Nectar card, we also look into the different supermarket reward schemes on offer and whether they’re worth it.
Nectar Cards: The Pros and Cons
There are ups and downs to these schemes, especially when you compare them to what else is on offer. If you’re looking for a quick breakdown, here’s a bullet-point list of the pros and cons we’ll dive into in this section.
Pros
- You can earn points every time you shop at participating retailers, such as Sainsbury’s, Argos, eBay, and more.
- You can redeem your points for rewards, such as vouchers, discounts, donations, or experiences.
- You can access exclusive offers and deals through the Nectar app or website.
- You can link your Nectar card to other loyalty programs, such as British Airways Executive Club or Esso.
- You can use your Nectar card online or in-store, and it’s free to join.
- Like all loyalty schemes, if you shop at these stores regularly, it’s worth it.
Cons:
- You may not get the best value for your points, depending on how and when you redeem them.
- Compared to other reward and loyalty schemes, the points return per pound is low at £0.05 per point.
- You may be tempted to spend more than you need to earn more points or use your rewards.
- You may have to deal with expired points, lost cards, or technical issues with the app or website.
- You may have to share your personal data and shopping habits with Nectar and its partners, which may affect your privacy and security.
- You may face limitations or restrictions on how you can use your points or rewards, such as minimum spend, expiry dates, or availability.
- Can’t be used at Sainsbury’s Local convenience stores.
- You can collect points at lots of retailers, but you can’t use them.
Where Can You Use Nectar Cards?
As mentioned above, you can use your Nectar card at a number of retailers and online partners in the UK. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Sainsbury’s
You can collect one point for every £1 spent at Sainsbury’s supermarkets and petrol stations. You can also redeem your points for vouchers or discounts at Sainsbury’s stores or online.
Argos
You can collect one point for every £1 spent at Argos stores or online. You can also redeem your points for vouchers or discounts at Argos stores or online.
eBay
You can collect one point for every £1 spent on eligible items on eBay.co.uk. You can also redeem your points for vouchers or discounts on eBay.co.uk.
BP
You can collect one point for every litre of fuel purchased at BP petrol stations. You can also redeem your points for vouchers or discounts at BP petrol stations.
Caffè Nero
You can collect two points for every £1 spent at Caffè Nero outlets. You can also redeem 350 points for a free hot drink at Caffè Nero outlets.
Vue
While currently not available, previously you could collect two points for every £1 spent at Vue cinemas. You could also redeem 500 points for a standard 2D ticket at Vue Cinemas.
American Express
Nectar and American Express come together to offer what’s essentially a cashback scheme where you get 1% back. You get 2 points for every £1 spent.
Full List of Nectar Card Partners
| Participating Partners | Collect Nectar Points | Spend Nectar Points |
| American Express | ✔ | – |
| Argos | ✔ | ✔ |
| British Airways | ✔ | ✔ |
| Caffè Nero | – | ✔ |
| eBay | ✔ | ✔ |
| Esso | ✔ | ✔ |
| Eurostar | – | ✔ |
| Expedia | ✔ | – |
| Habitat | ✔ | ✔ |
| ICI Dulux Decorator Centres | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sainsbury’s | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sky & Sky Store | ✔ | – |
| The Mail | ✔ | ✔ |
| Viking-DIrect | ✔ | – |
| Woodland Trust | ✔ | – |
How Much Value Can You Get Out of Nectar Cards?
The value of your Nectar points depends on how you use them and what rewards you choose.
As a general rule, the more flexible the reward, the lower the value of the point. For example, if you use your points for vouchers or discounts that can be used on any purchase at a partner retailer, such as Sainsbury’s or Argos, you will get 0.5p per point.
However, if you use your points for specific rewards that have a fixed price or value, such as a free hot drink at Caffè Nero or a cinema ticket at Vue (although this offer is not currently available), you will get a higher value per point, depending on the price of the reward.
To maximise the value of your Nectar points, you should look for rewards that offer a high value per point and suit your preferences and needs.
For example, if you are a coffee lover, you might want to use your points for free drinks at Caffè Nero, which offers a value of 1.4p per point (based on the price of a regular latte at £2.45).
You should also look out for special offers and promotions that can boost the value of your points or give you extra points. For example, sometimes Nectar partners offer double or triple points on certain purchases or categories.
Sometimes Nectar also offers bonus points or discounts when you redeem your points for certain rewards or during certain periods. You can find these offers on the Nectar website or app, or by signing up for email newsletters or notifications.
Nectar Cards: A Brief History
Nectar Cards have changed a fair bit over the years, from the promotions on offer, to the retailers they can be used at. Here’s a brief summary of those changes.
Nectar Card is launched by four companies: Sainsbury’s, BP, Barclaycard and Debenhams.
Nectar card expanded its partnership network to include more than 20 brands, such as Argos, Homebase, eBay and Expedia.
They introduce a mobile app that enabled customers to check their points balance, browse rewards and access offers on their smartphones.
In 2010, Nectar card celebrated its 8th anniversary and announced that it had over 16.8 million active members and had given away more than £1.5 billion worth of rewards since its launch.
A new feature called Nectar Adpoints is launched, which allowed customers to earn extra points by watching online video ads from selected brands.
In 2015, Nectar card partnered with Oxfam to create a scheme called Tag Your Bag, which encouraged customers to donate their unwanted clothes and earn points for every bag they donated.
In 2018, Sainsbury’s acquired Nectar card from its previous owner Aimia for £60 million and announced plans to overhaul the scheme and make it more personalised and rewarding for customers.
Nectar card relaunched with a new app and website that offered customers personalised offers and flexibility in how they collected and spent their points. Customers could also access personalised offers based on their shopping habits and preferences.
Nectar card added more partners to its network, such as Esso, Sky Store, Virgin Trains and ASOS. Customers could also use their points to pay for their shopping at Sainsbury’s online and in-store by scanning a QR code on their app.
Nectar partnered with Avios, the loyalty scheme of British Airways, and allowed customers to convert their Nectar points to Avios points and vice versa.
Nectar card celebrated its 19th anniversary and revealed that it had over 18 million active members and had given away more than £4 billion worth of rewards since its launch. It also launched a new campaign called “Nectar Thanks You” to recognise and reward its loyal customers with surprise gifts and experiences.
Nectar also added more partners and rewards to its scheme, such as Sky Store, Virgin Experience Days, and National Trust.
Are Nectar Cards Worth It?
Customers should weigh the pros and cons of using Nectar cards and decide if they are worth it for them. Customers should also look for ways to maximise the value of their points and take advantage of special offers and promotions that can enhance their rewards.
But the fact remains, if you’re doing your weekly shop at Sainsbury’s, or you shop at Argos, Habitat or any of the other retailers, there’s no harm in having a Nectar Card. It’s not the only factor when it comes to affordable shopping, however, so why not check out our breakdown of the cheapest supermarkets in the UK in 2023.