Asda rewards app: how does it work, Star Products explained - how it compares to other loyalty schemes

Asda has launched its first-ever loyalty scheme nationwide following a successful trial.

The Asda Rewards scheme was initially trialled in its 16 stores across West Yorkshire and the West Midlands last year, but will now be rolled out across the 633 stores around the UK.

The scheme allows shoppers to earn vouchers which will save them money on future grocery bills at Asda by using the app.

How does the scheme work?

Each time you shop online or instore, you will be credited with Asda Pounds by scanning the barcode or logging into your account at checkout.

The Asda Pounds will accumulate into a Cashpot, where the balance can be converted into vouchers to spend at the supermarket.

You can also add to the Cashpot through missions and Star Products.

Different missions are added to the app regularly and range from buying a certain number of products from a particular department, to spending a minimum amount over multiple visits. Some examples of these offers include:

• Spend £50 by September 30 to earn £1.50
• Buy five health and beauty products by 24 August to earn £2 
• Buy ten packets or pieces of fruit and veg by 24 August to earn £1.50

There may also be an option to convert some of the Cashpot balance in a Boost voucher, which will increase its value by a certain percentage.

What are Star Products?

New Star Products are added regularly and are attached to specific products for reward bonuses where you receive an instant Cashpot boost equivalent to 10% of the product’s price.

Star Products are a mix of branded and Asda own-brand. You can see a full list of the Star Products in the dedicated section of the Asda Rewards app, but they are also marked when you are shopping at Asda online.

You can get different deals on a range of items, with some examples including:

• £2.50 on a 12-pack of Andrex toilet roll
• 10% back on a two-pack of McVitie’s milk chocolate digestives
• 10% back on Asda’s battered crispy fish strips

How do I sign up for Asda Rewards?

To get started all you need to do is download the Asda Rewards app and create an account.

The app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play store.

You can then unlock everything that Asda Rewards has to offer by scanning your in-app card every time you shop.

How does it compare to other loyalty schemes?

Tesco

Tesco shoppers earn one point for every £1 spent in store or online through its Clubcard scheme, and can also get one point for every £2 spent on fuel.

These points can then be turned into vouchers for money off food or other partner schemes.

You will need a minimum of 150 points, which is worth £1.50 as a voucher.

The supermarket has more than 100 reward partners where the value is boosted by up to three times that of stores and petrol stations, meaning a £10 voucher could be turned into £30 with several partners. This includes brands such as: Pizza Express, Cineworld, Disney +, Hotel.com, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, English Heritage, the RAC and Chef & Brewer pub chain.

Clubcard holders also get cheaper prices on some items compared to those without the loyalty card.

Sainsbury’s

Shoppers earn points when they spend money at Sainsbury’s stores and its petrol stations, as well as other retailers such as eBay.

You get one Nectar point for every £1 spent in Sainsbury’s store, or one Nectar point for every litre of fuel purchased in its fuel stations.

At most of Nectar’s online partner stores, you will collect two points for each £1 you spend. One Nectar Card point is then worth 0.5p, so you need 200 Nectar points to save £1 to spend.

Once you have enough points you can turn them into vouchers to buy your next food shop at Sainsbury’s or to buy things such as plane tickets at Expedia, train tickets from Eurostar or cinema tickets for Vue cinemas.

Morrisons

My Morrisons was launched in 2016 and it originally worked in a similar way to Tesco and Sainsbury’s point schemes, but the system was later overhauled.

Since May 2021 shoppers now receive digital coupons. This means that rather than earning on your shopping, you get "personalised offers" and coupons to get money off your groceries.

Lidl

In September 2020, the budget supermarket launched a loyalty app where shoppers can find discounts on groceries, Sky bills and cinema tickets.

The supermarket does not offer an online shopping service so the system requires you to scan your card in store.

Spending money at the supermarket will earn you points which can become vouchers, and these expire within seven days of being issued.