Loyalty cards aren’t always the cheapest option

Many of us have a supermarket loyalty card tucked in our wallet or phone.

Tesco Clubcard, Sainsbury’s Nectar, Lidl Plus - they all promise savings, points, and “exclusive prices”.

But new analysis suggests something surprising: even with loyalty cards, shoppers could still be paying far more than they need to for their weekly food shop.

And in some cases, the “loyalty” system may not be saving you money at all.

Loyalty cards can still leave you paying more

Independent analysis based on Which? supermarket price data shows that shoppers using loyalty schemes at major UK supermarkets are still paying more than the cheapest available prices elsewhere.

Even after discounts are applied, the gap can be significant.

The findings show:

• Sainsbury’s Nectar shoppers are paying around £31.63 more per week compared with Aldi prices, which adds up to around £126 a month
• Tesco Clubcard shoppers are paying around £26.34 more per week, or £105 a month
• Lidl Plus shoppers are paying around £2.43 more per week, around £10 a month

Even with Lidl Plus applied, the analysis found Aldi still came out cheaper for a typical weekly shop.

So while loyalty cards can reduce the price you pay in-store, they don’t always mean you’re getting the lowest overall cost.

The “loyalty tax” effect

The idea of a “loyalty tax” is becoming more common, where shoppers feel rewarded, but still end up paying more overall compared with discounter supermarkets.

It’s not necessarily because loyalty schemes don’t work.

It’s because:

• Discounts are often applied to selected items, not your whole shop
• “Member prices” can make non-member prices artificially high
• Promotions can encourage more spending rather than less
• Cheaper own-brand alternatives may still be more expensive than discounters

In short, a loyalty card can change how you shop, but not always how much you spend.

Why this matters now

This comes at a time when household budgets are already under pressure, with inflation once again hitting food prices.

For many households, food shopping is one of the biggest flexible costs, meaning even a £20 to £30 weekly difference can make a real impact over a month.

And while loyalty schemes are designed to encourage repeat shopping, they don’t always guarantee the best value for money.

So are loyalty cards still worth it?

They can be, but only if you’re using them strategically.

The key is not to assume “member price = cheapest price”.

Instead, it’s worth comparing across supermarkets and looking at your total shop, not individual discounts.

6 fool-proof ways to save on your weekly food shop

If you want to cut your grocery bill without relying on loyalty schemes, here are six simple ways to do it:

1. Compare your “full basket”, not just individual items

It’s easy to be drawn in by discounts on a few products, but what matters is the total cost of your weekly shop. A slightly cheaper basket overall will save you more than a handful of offers.

To make this easier, you can use comparison tools such as Trolley.co.uk or similar supermarket price comparison websites, which let you check how your basket adds up across different retailers before you shop.

2. Don’t shop hungry or without a list

This sounds simple, but it works. Shopping without a plan leads to impulse buys, especially snacks, branded items, and duplicates you don’t need.

3. Swap branded products for own-label basics

In many cases, supermarket own-brand basics are made in similar ways to branded products but cost significantly less, which can make a noticeable difference to your weekly shop without changing what you eat day to day.

In fact, in blind taste tests, many own-label products regularly come out just as good as branded versions, especially for everyday staples like pasta, rice, tinned goods, cereals and cleaning products.

The savings can add up quickly too. Swapping just a few branded items for supermarket basics can often cut several pounds off a weekly shop, and over a month that can turn into meaningful savings without much effort or compromise.

4. Check yellow sticker reductions and build meals around them

Checking reduced or “yellow sticker” sections before you plan your meals can be one of the easiest ways to cut your food shop without changing where you buy your groceries.

Most supermarkets reduce fresh items later in the day, especially as they approach their sell-by date. While exact timings vary by store, some common patterns include:

• Tesco and Sainsbury’s: often late afternoon into evening, with bigger reductions closer to closing time
• Asda: reductions can start from mid-afternoon and continue into the evening
• Morrisons: often multiple reduction rounds throughout the day, including a final clear-out before closing
• Co-op: smaller stores often reduce stock earlier in the evening
• Aldi and Lidl: tend to reduce items in the evening, but availability depends heavily on store size and location

If you can be flexible, shopping later in the day can sometimes mean discounts of 25% to 75% off fresh items, including meat, bakery goods, fruit and vegetables, and ready meals.

That can translate into real savings. E.g., a £10 pack of meat reduced by 50% becomes £5, or a £6 meal deal dropping to £2–£3. Over a week, that can easily save a household £10 to £30, depending on how much reduced food you’re able to build into your meals.

The best thing to do is check reductions first and then plan your meals around what’s available rather than deciding what to buy in advance.

5. Use a “top-up shop” approach instead of big weekly spends

Doing one large shop can often lead to overspending, as it’s easy to add extra items to the trolley that weren’t planned. Splitting your shopping into a main weekly shop plus small top-up trips can help you stay in control and avoid waste.

A main shop lets you stock up on essentials like cupboard staples, frozen food and household items, while smaller top-ups during the week can be used for fresh items such as fruit, vegetables and bread. This helps reduce the risk of food going off before it’s used, which can also save money in the long run.

Even reducing one large weekly shop by £5 to £10 through better planning and fewer impulse buys can add up to £20 to £40 a month in savings, without changing what you actually eat.

6. Set a weekly food budget and stick to it

Decide what you can realistically afford before you shop. Use a calculator or notes app if needed, and treat it like a hard limit rather than a guide.

It can also help to break your budget down into simple categories, such as meals, snacks and household essentials, so you can see where your money is going more clearly. You can use our free online budgeting planner to help you do this.

If your budget isn’t stretching far enough to cover the basics, it may be worth seeking extra support. A referral to a local food bank can help top up your cupboards in the short term, while you take steps to get your longer-term finances back on track.