Sainsbury’s Nectar Card benefits

Discover the best supermarket loyalty cards to get, starting with the benefits of Sainsbury’s Nectar Card Points and Prices

By Ruby Lizon-Walker, your Sainsbury's Money Saving Editor

Last checked 2 weeks ago

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Nectar Card FAQs

Is the Nectar card free?

Yes, signing up for a Nectar card is completely free. You’ll receive your account, digital card and a physical plastic card at no cost, and be able to use your Sainsbury’s loyalty scheme account to collect points straight away.

Is the Nectar card worth it?

Whether the Nectar card is worth it is down to your spending habits. Here’s a summary of the benefits and negatives:

✓ It is free to make an account.

✓ You can collect points on every purchase, as well as redeem savings at some big Nectar brand partners.

✓ You will receive personalised offers, helping you save on the items you buy most.

X If you don’t regularly shop at Sainsbury’s your account could be deleted after a year of inactivity.

X As with any loyalty card, collecting points is only a money-saving benefit if you are optimising purchases you would have made anyway.

How do I use Sainsbury’s loyalty card?

Swipe your Nectar card or scan the barcode on the reverse side of your card at the till. Alternatively, the Nectar card can be scanned digitally, either from the Nectar app or by adding it to your Apple Wallet.

Is Nectar the best supermarket loyalty scheme?

There is no definitive answer, because the best supermarket loyalty scheme for you will depend on factors like your shopping habits and the closest big supermarket near you. Read up on our 'best supermarket loyalty schemes' articles to find out the benefits of the other loyalty schemes out there.

Sainsbury's Nectar Card has existed for a while. Its original function was, and still is, to help you collect points on your Sainsbury's food shop (and on purchases at participating retailers like TU and Argos). You can then redeem your Nectar points for discounts on future orders.

Recently launched Sainsbury’s Nectar prices are a new way to get even more benefits from your Nectar card. This supermarket rewards scheme is a great way to save on your weekly food shop: gain points that can be redeemed for vouchers, and pick up Nectar prices on select Sainsbury's food items.

The food shop is an essential and regular purchase, and supermarket discount card schemes are a great way to make these outgoings easier on your weekly budget.

Contents:

  1. How does the Nectar loyalty card work?
  2. What is the Nectar card points system?
    • Where can I collect points?
    • Where can I spend Sainsbury's Nectar points?
    • Will my points ever expire?
  3. How do I benefit from a Nectar card?
  4. How much can I save with a Nectar card?
  5. What are the best Nectar card deals?
  6. Can I use a Sainsbury's voucher alongside my Sainsbury's Clubcard?
  7. How to get a Nectar card?


How does the Nectar loyalty card work?

The Sainsbury's Nectar card is a loyalty card which works like any other membership rewards system. Every time you shop at Sainsbury's or another participating store(^), you scan your card or app barcode at the checkout to redeem a correlating number of points based on how much you spent.

Points can be collected on almost any purchase at participating stores (listed below). Aside from select items that are not part of the Nectar card scheme, you'll be able to collect points on everything - and discover limited-time promotions where Bonus Nectar Points are offered on select items (extra points without spending any extra on your purchase!)


What is the Nectar card points system?

You'll gain one point for every £1 spent at specified retailers (listed below), and points from Sainsbury's Petrol are collected at one point per litre. One Nectar card point is worth 0.5p, meaning 100 points are worth 50p, and 200 points are worth £1. That means that to gain £1 worth of points you will need to spend £200 at Sainsbury's and participating retailers.

Where can I collect Nectar points?

As well as Sainsbury's, purchases at the following stores are eligible to use your Nectar Card on:

Nectar Card points value at Sainsbury's Nectar partners

  • Sainsbury's TU clothing
  • Sainsbury's Petrol
  • Sainsbury's Travel Money
  • Sainsbury's Bank

Nectar Card points value at Non-Sainsbury's Nectar partners

  • British Airways (300 Avios = 400 points)
  • eBay (£1 = 1 point)
  • Argos (£1 = 1 point)
  • ESSO (1 litre = 1 point. £1 in ESSO services = 2 points)
  • Sky (New customers for Sky TV, Sky Signature, Sky Superfast Broadband or Netflix = 14,000 points)
  • Dunelm (£1 = 1 point)
  • ASOS (£1 = 1 point)
  • Very (£1 = 8 points)

Where can I spend Sainsbury's Nectar points?

As well as redeeming for Sainsbury's vouchers, your Nectar card points can be spent by tapping your physical Nectar card or scanning your digital card at the following retailers:

Sainsbury's Nectar partners

  • Argos (500 points = £2.50)
  • eBay (500 points = £2.50)
  • British Airways (400 points = 250 Avios)
  • ESSO (5p off every litre for 300 points)
  • Sky (unknown or flexible trade value)
  • Very (unknown or flexible trade value)
  • Dunelm (unknown or flexible trade value)
  • Dominos (unknown or flexible trade value)
  • ASOS (unknown or flexible trade value)
  • Booking.com (unknown or flexible trade value)

Will my points ever expire?

The Nectar card points on your account will not expire, and have no set expiration date on an active Nectar account. However, your account will be deleted after a year of inactivity (no points spent or collected) along with your existing points.


How do I benefit from a Nectar card?

The primary benefit to owning a Sainsbury's Nectar card is getting more benefits from your food shop and spending at associated stores, without increasing your day-to-day outgoings. As well as redeeming these points for vouchers, you'll be able to access Sainsbury's Nectar Prices on select items. Items subject to Nectar Prices rotate regularly, so there's always a chance you'll be able to save on your grocery favourites with the exclusive Nectar member-only saving.

Not only that, but your Nectar account will learn what your favourite items and regularly-purchased items are, and begin to create personalised Nectar offers for you based on your purchasing habits. Without the Nectar card, you will only receive generic Sainsbury's offers and could have to wait weeks for your weekly essentials to be offered under a Nectar price.

Screenshot of Savoo saving expert's Nectar Card personalised offers via email


How much can I save with a Nectar card?

Fun fact: the weekly food shop in the UK in 2023 for an average household (based on ONS data) was £79. Based on this, it will take just 2.53 weeks (2 weeks and 6 days) to gain one pound worth of points. Over the year the average house will collect £20.45 worth of points when spent at a point per £1 conversion value.

While most Nectar brand partners either help you to collect points or have a monetary trade value, the British Airways Nectar points conversion is slightly different. Trade points for points if you collect British Airways Avios: the conversion of Nectar points to Avios points is the following:

  • 400 Nectar Points = 200 Avios
  • 300 Avios = 400 Nectar Points


What are the best Nectar card deals?

Nectar Prices can offer the following average discounts (based on the following Nectar Prices collected February 2024):

Chart displaying basic groceries comparing Sainsbury's prices to Nectar prices

As you can see, this is a way to save on grocery essentials like cheese, toilet roll, and cereal, as well as luxuries like Sainsbury's Taste The Difference range, and save on big brands like Coke and Heinz.


Can I use a Sainsbury's voucher alongside my Sainsbury's Clubcard?

Sometimes! It depends on how you are using your Nectar card, how you are using your discount or voucher, which retailer you are shopping at, and whether you are spending or collecting. Have a look a the following scenarios:

Nectar prices + discount code?  

If you are collecting points on an order, this is applied in a separate box to the discount code. Use the link from your Nectar account to head to the retailer’s site and have your order tracked. Since the points from your purchase are applied to your account automatically, the discount code box is free for you to apply a discount and get that order for a little less.

Points + discount code?  

You can use Nectar card points in one of several ways:

  1. If you are trading your points for another type of points, for instance Nectar card points for British Airways Avios, this transaction cannot have a discount code applied.
  2. If you are trading your points for a voucher, for example 500 points for a £2.50 eBay voucher code, this will need to be applied alone as you cannot apply multiple codes to one order.
  3. If you are trading your points for an Argos voucher, this is one specific retailer that does allow you to redeem multiple codes on one order! Apply your voucher and stack it with another Argos discount code from Savoo.

Regular orders + discount code?  

Naturally, if your Nectar card is not involved, you can use a code to save on your order as usual. Check out the full list of Sainsbury’s discount codes we have available here at Savoo.


How to get a Nectar card

It's very simple to apply for a Nectar card! All you need to do is have your email address handy, a browser, and internet connection. Follow the below steps to complete your Nectar registration:

  1. Open the Nectar card website or download the Nectar Card App from the app store on your phone
  2. (If you already own a Nectar card, just click “I already have a Nectar card" enter your membership number at this stage and you can get shopping!)
  3. If you don't have a Nectar account, click “I don’t have a Nectar card"
  4. Enter your email address to be sent a verification email (displayed below)
  5. Follow the link that will take you back to the Nectar app or website
  6. Choose either Nectar or Nectar Business depending if you are registering for personal use or on behalf of a small business
  7. Enter your personal information, including name, title, and date of birth
  8. Enter your postcode and house number: your address is used to receive your physical Nectar card
  9. For security purposes, Nectar requires you choose a memorable word and provide your phone number at this stage
  10. Choose a password that meets the requirements (displayed below)
  11. Agree to the terms and conditions
  12. Well done! You’ve got your Nectar card account! You’ll receive your unique card number, as well as a welcome email from Nectar

  Two screenshots of the Nectar card sign-up process. Confirmation email demonstrating step 4 of the above instructions. Password requirements demonstrating step 10 of the above instructions.

Watch the video below to discover how to use the Nectar app:

Top Sainsbury's Sainsbury’s Nectar Card benefits Deals

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Up to 25% off Sainsbury's Special Offers

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