Fuel loyalty schemes explained (Clubcard, Nectar, and more)

Published - 4 min read

How supermarket and fuel brand loyalty schemes work on petrol and diesel, and how to tell whether the rewards beat a cheaper pump price.

How fuel rewards work

Fuel loyalty rewards in the UK usually take one of these forms:

  • Points on fuel spend - you collect points when you buy fuel, which you can later spend or convert into vouchers.
  • Money off fuel - vouchers or app offers giving a discount per litre, often in return for spending a set amount in store.
  • Member prices - offers only available if you scan a loyalty card or use the retailer's app.

The details - how many points you earn, what they're worth and what offers are running - change often, so always check the scheme's own current terms.

Supermarket schemes

  • Tesco Clubcard - you can collect Clubcard points on fuel at Tesco petrol stations.
  • Nectar - you can collect Nectar points on fuel at Sainsbury's petrol stations, as well as with other Nectar partners.
  • Asda and Morrisons - both run their own app-based loyalty schemes. What they offer on fuel varies, so check the latest terms in each app.
  • Costco - you need a Costco membership to buy fuel there, so include the membership fee when you compare.

Fuel brand schemes

Some fuel brands run their own apps or reward programmes, or partner with wider loyalty schemes - Shell's Go+ is one example. As with supermarket schemes, offers change regularly.

Are they worth it?

They can be, but it's worth doing the sums. Rewards are usually worth much less than they look when compared with the difference in pump prices between stations.

  • Work out roughly what your reward is worth per litre.
  • Compare it with the price difference per litre between that station and the cheapest one nearby.
  • If another station is cheaper by more than the reward is worth, the cheaper station wins.

For example, if a scheme's rewards are worth, say, 1p a litre to you, but a station down the road is 4p a litre cheaper, you're better off at the cheaper station without the points.

Money-off-fuel vouchers that require a minimum in-store spend are only a saving if you would have spent that money anyway.

Getting the best of both

  • Sign up to the free schemes for stations you use regularly - collecting points costs nothing if you're filling up there anyway.
  • Don't let points lock you into a dearer station. Compare prices on the live map first.
  • Check the fuel prices by brand page to see how each brand's prices compare nationally.

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