
Waitrose has brought back its free coffee offer for all loyalty scheme members, even if they have not purchased anything from the grocer.
The upmarket supermarket told its My Waitrose scheme members that from 27 January they would be able to receive one complimentary hot drink per day with no purchase required, as long as they brought a reusable cup.
The perk was initially brought in back in 2013, however the terms were changed four years later to only apply to shoppers who had bought something in-store.
It was later ditched during Covid before being gradually reintroduced by former John Lewis Partnership chair Dame Sharon White for loyalty scheme members who made a purchase.
Although the scheme was popular when it was introduced, it received criticism from some existing Waitrose shoppers who claimed it attracted the “wrong type” of customers to stores.
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A Waitrose spokesperson said: “Some of our members like to have their free coffee before or during their shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback.”
In 2023, Waitrose began offering free coffees to police officers who visited its stores in a bid to crack down on shoplifting and violence against staff.
In a letter to the Police Federation union, John Lewis Partnership said officers could use the subsidised staff canteen “as part of efforts to strengthen relationships and tackle retail crime”, The Times reported.
In December, John Lewis Partnership also expanded its collaboration with Caffè Nero by introducing branded cafés to several of its department stores and supermarkets.
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