U.K.-based restaurant chain Pret A Manger announced Tuesday (Nov. 30) that it would be trialing its first loyalty program called “Pret Perks” with rewards ranging from coffee and popcorn to vegan cookies.
The company said the loyalty scheme, which will be rolled out in phases, will be available first to coffee subscription customers through their digital accounts on the Pret app or via the website, to extend it to all customers sometime next year.
Commenting on the launch, Clare Clough, the company’s U.K. managing director, said they’ve been looking for a way to reward loyal customers for some time now “by giving them treats that are specifically tailored to their preferences, and Pret Perks does just that.”
Read more: Restaurant Chain Pret A Manger Seeks €100m Loan
Clough added: “Over the past 18 months we’ve responded to how people now want to interact with our brand and products, from launching bake-at-home croissants, to growing our digital capabilities [and] we’re excited by this latest digital evolution for customers to engage with our brand.”
Through the trial, Pret Perks users will earn a star every time they shop in-store or order through the company’s click-and-collect service, while Pret coffee subscribers will earn a star for every transaction or each monthly subscription renewal, with rewards redeemable in shops up to 30 days after a customer collects 10 stars.
See also: Pret A Manger Coffee Subscription Arrives in NYC and DC
It’s been a busy 18 months for the sandwich and coffee specialist, which has stepped up its digital presence with the launch of the coffee subscription, the click-and-collect service and its app, as well as expanding delivery services with Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat. According to the firm, Pret Perks is simply another way to enhance its digital offering and attract more customers.
The British restaurant chain recently announced an aggressive expansion plan to open more than 200 shops in the U.K. in the next two years.
UK Shoppers Big on Loyalty Programs
With the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, online shopping soared, forcing retailers worldwide to revamp their business practices.
In the U.K., where loyalty programs and other special offerings are very popular with customers, grocers have had to use these schemes to enhance the value proposition they offer repeat shoppers.
Read the report: What U.K. Consumers Expect From Their Grocery Shopping Experiences
According to a recent PYMNTS report on what U.K. consumers expect from their grocery shopping experiences, 44% of U.K. grocery shoppers say they spend more at stores with loyalty programs, while 45% say the presence of a loyalty program plays a role in where they shop. Overall, the data showed that 63% of U.K. shoppers also use at least one grocer’s loyalty program.
Related: 44% of UK Grocery Shoppers Spend More at Stores With Loyalty Programs
The November report, published in collaboration with payment systems company ACI Worldwide, further revealed that about 40% of the U.K.’s 67 million population belong to grocers’ loyalty programs, which is welcome news for grocers like Pret A Manger who are looking to tap into the popular trend.
In terms of regional differences, the research showed that grocery loyalty programs are more commonly used in the U.K. than in the U.S., with British shoppers 17% more likely to belong to grocers’ customer loyalty programs than U.S. shoppers.
And given that close to half of U.K. grocery shoppers (44%) say loyalty programs encourage them to purchase items they typically buy online at the store, it looks like Pret A Manger’s might have set itself up for success with its in-store rewards program.
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