Customer anger after Sainsbury's halves Nectar points to one per pound

Supermarket insists Nectar card offers good value for money

Sainsbury's customers have reacted with anger after the supermarket announced it would halve the value of points from its Nectar card loyalty scheme.

Yesterday, the grocer said customers will only earn one point, instead of the current two, for every pound they spend at Sainsbury's starting April next year.

The supermarket will also stop rewarding customers with a point for every bag they reuse, but will get a point per litre of fuel bought at Sainsbury's forecourts.

Angry users took to social media to vent their frustration with some customers threatening to ditch Sainsbury's.

One shopper wrote on the supermarket's Facebook page: "Greedy greedy greedy! You're going to lose so many loyal customers now! Huge mistake!!!!"

Another customer added: "Thanks Sainsbury for changing Brand Match and lowering the value of Nectar points. Basically two of the few reason why I've been shopping at your store."

Another one noted: "You have just lost a long term customer with your new nectar points regime. Morrisons are far more competitive and also sell quality products."

However, Sainsbury's defended its decision, insisting the loyalty card continues to offer good value for money and described the move as a "redistribution" of points. The supermarket said it will introduce special offers throughout the year, including the busy Christmas period, to compensate customers.

A spokesperson added: "We are changing the way customers earn Nectar points and launching more high-value bonus events, like Swipe to Win, 10xpoints on fuel and adding more categories to our Christmas 'Double Up' event so that customers can make their points go even further."

The overhaul comes after the supermarket announced it would drop Tesco from its "Brand Match" price comparison scheme, which gave discount vouchers for customers if they found cheaper branded goods at Britain's biggest supermarket. Instead, the grocer will benchmark prices with Asda.

Sainsbury's reported its third consecutive quarterly sales fall earlier this month, citing "fierce" competition as the price war between Britain's traditional big three supermarkets- Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons- against discounters Lild and Aldi intensifies.