Customer fury as Sainsbury's axes brand match vouchers
SAINSBURY'S shoppers have reacted with anger after the supermarket announced an end to its 'brand match' price vouchers, which give shoppers money off their next shopping trip.
Sainsbury's has axed its brand match scheme
The grocer said it would instead focus on offering lower regular prices on key products.
Shoppers at the chain had been offered money-off coupons when branded items could have been bought cheaper at Asda.
But now the supermarket giant said cheaper prices across the board mattered more to customers than strategies such as Brand Match and said all the money it saved would be used to lower the cost of an everyday basket.
After the change to nectar points and now no brand match think it's about time I look to another supermarket @sainsburys #tooexpensive
— Rachael A (@RachyTweets) April 7, 2016
It was nice to get a brand match voucher from @sainsburys but now they are being scrapped - more reason for me to shop more @AldiUK
— Scott Temple (@sdtfm) April 7, 2016
Sainsburys the only thing I liked about you was your Brand Match and now you're getting rid of it.
— Emma Jane Trevena (@emmajanetrevena) April 7, 2016
Sainsbury's said it would make more prices cheaper to replace the vouchers
The Brand Match coupon scheme will end on April 26.
Sainsbury's marketing director Sarah Warby said: "Customers have told us that they want lower regular prices, and that this is more important to them than Brand Match.
"We've taken this on board and will now be investing all of the money from the scheme into lowering the regular prices on everyday products."
However, the changes have provoked strong feelings from shoppers, with many saying they now intend to shop elsewhere.
One Twitter user said: "After the change to nectar points and now no brand match think it's about time I look to another supermarket @sainsburys #tooexpensive
While tweeter Scott Temple posted: "It was nice to get a brand match voucher from @sainsburys but now they are being scrapped - more reason for me to shop more @AldiUK"
But others welcomed the end of the vouchers.
Thank god for that @sainsburys - no more brand match! No more numerous & expired vouchers cluttering up my bag.
— Nikki Alvey (@NikkiAlvey) April 7, 2016
@sainsburys glad you have decided to end brand match, it was mostly an exercise in wasting paper! :)
— Nathan Pitman (@nathanpitman) April 7, 2016
Twitter user Nathan Pitman added: "@sainsburys glad you have decided to end brand match, it was mostly an exercise in wasting paper!"
While Nikki Alvey posted: "Thank god for that @sainsburys - no more brand match! No more numerous & expired vouchers cluttering up my bag."
The move comes after Sainsbury's last year cut the amount of nectar points customers could earn on shopping amid pressures on profits amid growing competition from discounters Aldi and Lidl.