Product type Loyalty card scheme Country United Kingdom Website www.nectar.com | Owner Aimia Introduced 2002 | |
Nectar is a loyalty card scheme in the United Kingdom, run by Aimia. The scheme is the largest in the United Kingdom, and comprises a number of partner companies including Sainsbury's and BP. It launched in 2002 with initially four partner companies, and by 2010 had grown to include over 14 companies and over 400 online retailers. Loyalty Management Group established the scheme, replacing the existing schemes of three of the four launch companies, and was purchased by the Canadian Groupe Aeroplan (now Aimia) in 2009.
Contents
A separate scheme is also operated by Aimia in Italy, and by Cencosud in Chile.
History
The Nectar scheme was launched in 2002, merging the existing loyalty programmes of Sainsbury's, BP and Barclaycard, and including Debenhams which did not have an existing scheme. It was run by Loyalty Management Group, then chaired by Sir Keith Mills, the founder of Air Miles. At the time of launch, Nectar confirmed it would be open to more companies to join, excluding rivals of existing members.
By 2010, Nectar claimed that 16.8 million people were part of the scheme, and that it had 14 member companies and over 400 online retailers.
Collection
Cardholders receive points on purchases made at participating retailers both instore and online, generally beginning at one point per whole pound spent. Points for fuel at BP and Sainsbury's are awarded for each litre purchased. Extra points may be earned when buying certain products or during particular promotions. A number of other online retailers award points when purchases are made on their websites accessed through the main Nectar website.
Sainsburys and Homebase shoppers previously received 2 points for each whole pound in each transaction. Once 500 points have been accumulated, they can be exchanged for a rebate of £2.50. From 11 April 2015, Sainsbury's halved the rate that shoppers can accumulate points, to a rate of 1 point per 1 pound spent. This equates to a rebate of 0.5%. Also from this date, customers will no longer receive 1 Nectar point for every carrier bag they re-use. Homebase ended membership of the scheme in December 2016.
Nectar receives a payment from each retailer for each point paid to a customer. It then reimburses the retailer when the points are redeemed.
Redemption
A number of retailers allow cardholders to redeem points in store for money off their shopping, including Argos and Sainsbury's. In the case of Sainsbury's, a cardholder must have shopped at a particular store within the last 12 months in order to spend points there.
Points can also be redeemed with a number of partners through evouchers, including Eurostar, PizzaExpress and Hertz. Points are lost if a Nectar account is closed. For example, an account may be closed if no points have been earned or redeemed for a continuous period of 12 months. As Nectar points do not normally "expire", it is possible for cardholders to save towards more expensive rewards, such as train tickets and holidays.
Former members
International schemes
Aimia launched Nectar in Italy in 2010, with retailers including Auchan and UniEuro.