Tesco Clubcard

In January 1995, Frank Riolfo, a former lance-corporal of the Royal Army Medical Corps, extorted Tesco, forcing the introduction of the previously trialled discount card. After first contaminating food with (what turned out to be fake[4]) HIV-infected blood in a store in Kettering, Riolfo demanded payment via Tesco's new loyalty card system.[5][6]

He specified that the cards were to contain magnetic strips, allowing them to function secretly as ATM cash withdrawal cards. Coded copies of the PIN code were published under his instruction in national newspapers. Clubcard was subsequently launched nationally with a Direct Marketing campaign by Evans Hunt Scott, Terry Hunt's advertising agency.

Customers, including Riolfo's wife, signed up to the scheme and collected a card. Riolfo and his wife then toured the country withdrawing a total of £7,500 cash on 73 occasions until they were eventually caught on 22 April 1995.[5] Frank Riolfo pleaded guilty and was jailed for six years, after appeal.[4] The loyalty card scheme was not discontinued, with Tesco already planning to roll out the trial before the incident.[6]

In the end of 2000, Robert Edward Dyer made a similar attempt at extortion involving Clubcards with a magnetic strip for ATM withdrawals. Dyer sent several letter bombs, one of which exploded when the recipient opened it, before being arrested in February 2001.[7]

After two slight amendments to the design of cards in the 1990s by Evans Hunt Scott's creative team, the scheme had a major relaunch in 2005 with all members being sent personalised cards and key fobs which could be scanned at the checkout, rather than swiped. The scheme was again relaunched in 2008 with all seven million members once again being sent new design cards and key fobs. A further redesign in 2017 allowed contactless technology to be embedded in the cards and key fobs.

The Tesco Clubcard scheme was introduced into the Republic of Ireland almost immediately after Tesco's acquisition of Power Supermarkets Limited (now Tesco Ireland), and operates in similar fashion. It was originally an extension of the scheme in the United Kingdom, not a separate scheme, so Irish Clubcards could be used in stores in the United Kingdom until 2019.

In 2007, Tesco Clubcard was first introduced in all Tesco Extra stores in Malaysia and later in all store formats. In Malaysia, every two Ringgit spent earn 1 Clubcard point. By 2014 the scheme had 1.7m cardholders.[8]

The Tesco Clubcard scheme was introduced into Polish Tesco Stores in 2008, and Slovakia at the end of 2009. As of September 2010, these markets had 1.5m and 850,000 cardholders respectively.[9] Though operating in a similar fashion to the scheme in the United Kingdom, it is independent, so Clubcards from other countries cannot be used in Slovakian or Polish stores. In Slovakia every €1 spent gives 1 Clubcard point (or one point per litre of petrol). Clubcard was launched in the Czech Republic and Hungary in 2010.[9]

In 2012 Esso launched a nationwide partnership with Tesco that allows Tesco Clubcard holders to collect Clubcard points from Esso fuel stations across the UK. Clubcard holders can collect points on fuel purchases as well as some shop purchases on Esso fuelling stations.[14] Since 2017, Esso was the exclusive Tesco Clubcard point earn partner outside of Tesco. On 1 June 2019, Tesco ended its partnership with Esso meaning points can now only be collected when there is an attached Tesco Express Store at the Esso fuel station.[15]

Customers can 'boost' their Clubcard vouchers to use for days out, restaurants and holidays by going to the Clubcard website. The range of partners changes sporadically, but usually customers are able to exchange their vouchers for two times their value (prior to July 2023, three times their value).

Clubcard points can be accumulated by spending money in the following places:

• Tesco stores
• Tesco.com
• Tesco Bank
• Tesco Fuel stations
  • Joint Esso & Tesco fuelling stations[14]
• Tesco Mobile
  • Tesco International Calling
• Tesco Opticians
• Tesco Photo
• Tesco Views
• Tesco Wine
• F&F
• Shopper Thoughts

Formerly cardholders could earn clubcard points at the following places, although this has since ceased:

• AVIS, earning points ended 1 February 2009
• E.ON UK, ended 2017
• Marriott Hotels, earning points ended 1 April 2008[16]
• National Tyres
• Esso

Tesco announced in February 2013 that it will be launching its own TV and film on demand service.[17] The service would be free to Tesco Clubcard members, with no charges, subscription or contract.[18] On 28 October 2014, the short lived Clubcard TV was closed.[19]

Green Clubcard points were earned when customers re-used bags, or used an alternative such as a Lock & Lock box, or a large cool box, when shopping in store (one point per bag, (or the points equivalent for something like a large cool box for frozen vegetables, the use of which avoided using a number of bags), except in Wales and Northern Ireland), or opted out of receiving bags when shopping online (one point per ten items delivered). They could also be earned by recycling a limited number of products including mobile phones and ink cartridges through Tesco-branded recycling services.

Once earned, Green Clubcard points were equal in value to normal Clubcard points, but they were listed separately on receipts and Clubcard statements. When stores were required to charge 5p for single use carrier bags (under Government Legislation) the Green Clubcard points scheme was closed down..

On 12 March 2014 Tesco launched a new money-saving offer for fuel. Tesco Fuel Save meant that customers could each month earn up to 20p off every litre of fuel. For every £50 that was spent in a Tesco Store or online at Tesco.com, customers received 2p off every litre of fuel.

The scheme was cumulative, meaning customers didn't have to spend £50 all at once (i.e. they could spend £40 in an Extra store and £10 in a Metro store to earn 2p off). Every penny that was spent in any Tesco format (Express, Metro, Superstore, Extra, Homeplus or .com) counted towards the £50 spend.

Customers could then spend the Fuel Save savings in any Tesco petrol filling station (not Esso). Savings were valid until the end of the following calendar month after being earned. Unlike Tesco petrol vouchers the Fuel Save savings could be used at the Pay@Pump. Exclusions from the £50 spend included Tobacco, Lottery, Gift Cards, Baby Formula Milk and Fuel. The scheme ended on 31 August 2015, with redemptions available until 30 September 2015.

Formerly known as the 'Double Up', then relaunched as the 'Clubcard Voucher Exchange', the Clubcard Boost was the new name for Clubcard Rewards; it launched in 2013. The Clubcard Boost in-stores works the same way as the previous schemes (for every £5 in Clubcard Vouchers, customers receive £10 in Clubcard Boost tokens).

As with previous schemes there are only selected departments included: Baby & Toddler, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Clothing, Opticians, and Cook, Home & Dine. The In-store scheme has since ended, although the online scheme where customers can exchange Clubcard vouchers for up to 3 times their value at other retailers is still available.