Tesco has warned that £15 million in Clubcard vouchers are set to expire at midnight on November 30, and shoppers across the country could lose out on their hard-earned rewards.
Clubcard vouchers, issued every quarter in February, May, August and November, are valid for two years, meaning those issued in November 2024 will become void at the end of the month. They cannot be redeemed or reissued after this date, so if you don't act before the deadline, they'll be gone for good.
How to use your vouchers before they expire
These vouchers can be used in-store or online to help pay for your shop or for fuel and Tesco Mobile purchases, with 150 points equal to the value of £1.50. Alternatively, you can triple their value by exchanging them at more than 100 partners, including high street chains such as PizzaExpress, ASK Italian, or new Clubcard Partner Las Iguanas.
Tesco has emailed a reminder to customers about the deadline, with group membership and loyalty director, Shama Wilson, commented: 'This Christmas Tesco Clubcard has more to offer than ever, and any unused Clubcard vouchers could be your ticket to some great savings.'
'Whether you are Christmas shopping at Tesco, sending a special gift, or grabbing lunch at a favourite restaurant, Clubcard can save you money.'
'It only takes a moment to log into the Tesco app to see if you have any Clubcard vouchers that are due to expire – so make sure you don't miss out.'
How Tesco Clubcard points work
Clubcard points are collected when shopping in Tesco stores, online, or with more than 500 Points Partners like Evri and Halfords. For every £1 spent, members get a point which can then be turned into vouchers for money off a Tesco shop or to spend at a Reward Partner, or donated to charity. You need a minimum of 150 points to request a voucher, which can be done online or via the Tesco app.
If you choose to exchange your points for Tesco vouchers, 150 points are equal to £1.50 to spend in-store or at Tesco filling stations. However, you can get up to double or triple the value of your Clubcard points by exchanging them with one of the supermarket's Reward Partners.
There are more than 100 companies registered as part of the scheme, offering everything from money off days out to discounts on big ticket purchases. From restaurants like Pizza Express and Zizzi to cinemas to gyms, there's plenty to choose from, the majority of which give you double your points in vouchers.
Possible way to extend vouchers
The team at Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert might have identified a way to extend your vouchers – however, it's technically prohibited. Some shoppers extend Tesco Clubcard voucher expiry dates by using part of the voucher on the Tesco Clubcard Rewards website (rather than in-store). If you use 50p from a £5 voucher on a small purchase with a Reward Partner or charity donation, the remaining £4.50 is usually returned to your Clubcard account as a new voucher balance.
You'll need to do this by 11.59pm on Sunday, May 31, but be warned, technically, under the Clubcard's terms and conditions, Tesco can refuse a Reward Partner order if it believes you're trying to trick the system by redeeming vouchers just to extend their validity. The T&Cs state that orders can be refused if a customer is 'abusing' the system. Such abuse includes: 'Redeeming Clubcard vouchers for the sole purpose of extending the life of the Clubcard points.'
However, Money Saving Expert said: 'We tested the trick at MoneySavingExpert.com Towers this week and it worked just fine,' but you're doing so at your own risk. According to the Money Saving Experts, you can then swap your points for vouchers manually or wait for them to be converted with your next statement. The expiry date for these new vouchers will be two years in the future.
Remember that you'll need to do this for each individual voucher. So, it may not be worth it if you're only looking to extend a dozen or so £1 vouchers.
