Tesco Clubcard holders have just days to check their vouchers before a fast-approaching deadline, or risk losing a share of an estimated £11m in unspent rewards. Loyalty card customers could see their hard-earned points wiped from their accounts after midnight on Monday, August 31.
Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) team has issued an urgent reminder that millions of pounds will be lost if shoppers do not act quickly. The team says a chunk of rewards waiting to be spent is at risk of disappearing for good once the deadline passes.
How to spot the expiry date
Shoppers need to check both physical and digital vouchers for a key piece of information — the expiry date. The average shopper probably assumes they’ve got plenty of time once those points land in your account, but forgetting about them can mean all that ‘free’ money you’ve banked could be wiped from your account.
The last-minute reminder comes as one of Britain’s biggest supermarket chains will delete unclaimed Clubcard rewards at the stroke of midnight on August 31.
Warning over fake links
Although there is some urgency to redeem these points, shoppers should never let their guard down. The MSE team claims that crooks are exploiting these deadlines by getting fake links to trick supermarket fans as the clock ticks down to a devastating bank holiday voucher wipeout.
Shoppers should only sign in through the official Tesco app or by typing the address themselves, rather than clicking on messages. If a text or email creates panic with ‘cancelled today’ — you should treat it as a red flag that someone is pressuring you to make a mistake.
Clever loophole to extend vouchers
Savvy spenders can pull off a clever loophole to stop their hard-earned cash from vanishing into thin air for another two years while they build up their pot further — or make a decision on what or when they need certain rewards. When you purchase a tiny charity donation or low-cost reward, the leftover balance is re-credited with a brand-new expiry date.
Reward Partners change over time, and not every deal offers the same boost. It’s worth checking the final amount you’ll get before confirming, so you don’t swap in a rush and regret it later.
Boost voucher value with partners
Some deals can double the voucher value, turning £5 into £10 for certain treats like days out or subscriptions. There are also offers that can stretch to triple value with selected restaurant chains, making a £5 voucher worth £15 towards a meal.
Swapping the coupons with high-street restaurant partners like Pizza Express and Bella Italia turns a fiver into a delicious feast that already has £15 taken care of from the bill. A full list of current offers and deals is available on the Tesco website.
Supermarket bosses are urging Brits to hunt down any random paper slips in kitchen drawers and check their mobile apps right away, so they do not miss out on their share of the massive jackpot before the bank holiday weekend draws to a close.
