Waitrose has now confirmed that all its loyalty scheme members will be able to claim one free hot drink a day without having to make a purchase from January 27
Waitrose has reintroduced free coffee for all its loyalty scheme members.
The popular freebie was first introduced in 2013 for shoppers who are signed up to the myWaitrose loyalty scheme, but its terms and conditions were updated in 2017 so that customers had to buy something before they could get their hot drink. Waitrose paused the perk in 2022 due to the Covid pandemic, before it started gradually bringing it back, again with shoppers needing to buy something.
However, in a new update, Waitrose has now confirmed that all its loyalty scheme members will be able to claim one free hot drink a day without having to make a purchase. Shoppers will need to bring a reusable cup to get their freebie. This will come into effect from January 27. The hot drinks are available in self-serve machines, with options including an Americano, cappuccino, latte or tea.
A spokesperson for Waitrose said: “Some of our members like to have their free coffee before or during their shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback. In practice, lots of customers do this already, so this is just a formality as part of updated T&Cs.”
It comes after Waitrose announced plans to scrap its free newspaper for loyalty customers. Previously, all myWaitrose shoppers were able to claim a free newspaper when they spent £10 or more in store or online at the supermarket. The terms and conditions of the scheme changed in February 2022, so that only shoppers who regularly buy a newspaper using their myWaitrose card at the checkout will receive this offer in the form of a voucher.
At the time, Waitrose said this was part of a push to introduce “more personalised offers” to customers. However, the supermarket ended its free newspaper vouchers for good in October 2024. At the time, a Waitrose spokesman said: “Our newspaper offer was retired in February 2022, as it was only being used by 5pc of customers.
“A small number retained the offer as a temporary goodwill gesture, but we’re phasing these out to invest in rewards that benefit all members. These customers will get additional rewards over the coming weeks to thank them for their loyalty, as well as our wider benefits, like free hot drinks and personalised offers, which remain hugely popular.”
Waitrose also recently announced a new deal with Just Eat last month which means shoppers in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and other cities can now purchase its food on the takeaway app. Just Eat customers can purchase from the Waitrose premium range, Duchy Organic, as well as upmarket ready meals, Gail’s Bakery-branded items and a range of wines, beers and spirits.
