Royalty, members card

skipper847 · 24 Jul 2025 at 11:16

Junglist said:
Honestly, what is the aversion to store loyalty cards? What are you buying that makes you so paranoid they're going to... send you targeted offers?

I fully believe in protecting your privacy and I am an advocate for giving companies as little information as possible but what danger is it if Mr J Sainsbury happens to know the particular fruit I buy or what my shower gel of choice is.

I buy a pack of raspberries and blueberries every single day. I want them to send me deals on raspberries and blueberries. What use is money off a pack of strawberries to me. I'd much rather deals targeted to my spending habits than being sent generic deals with little relevance to me.

For me it should be same price for all.

Raymond Lin · 24 Jul 2025 at 11:18

Junglist said:
Honestly, what is the aversion to store loyalty cards? What are you buying that makes you so paranoid they're going to... send you targeted offers?

I fully believe in protecting your privacy and I am an advocate for giving companies as little information as possible but what danger is it if Mr J Sainsbury happens to know the particular fruit I buy or what my shower gel of choice is.

I buy a pack of raspberries and blueberries every single day. I want them to send me deals on raspberries and blueberries. What use is money off a pack of strawberries to me. I'd much rather deals targeted to my spending habits than being sent generic deals with little relevance to me.

Yesterday I needed some milk, I walked into the coop and there was a 50p off fresh milk offer, clicked it, saved 50p.

On top of that there was also a £1 off the shopping.

Clicked that, got £1 off.

I put the savings towards a bag of Haribo so got both together for £1.50. The Haribo were £1.35.

Raymond Lin · 24 Jul 2025 at 11:20

I should set up a new email call “loyaltycardspam” and use everything on that.

Junglist · 24 Jul 2025 at 11:28

skipper847 said:
For me it should be same price for all.

Y Tho? They're a business and there is obviously some boon to them to collect specific shopping data. Why should someone who isn't willing to share their shopping habits within a store be entitled to the lower price?

We're talking about shopping. Not private health or financial data. Just things you put in your shopping basket. I know we need to be careful about our data but I don't think anything nefarious will come about from shops knowing you prefer granary bread to white bread.

It's just a weird hill to die on. A friend is the same. Fuming that the Tesco meal deal is cheaper for loyalty card owners but because he is against 'Big X' he pays the full price. Like he's teaching Tesco a lesson by spending more money

skipper847 · 24 Jul 2025 at 11:31

Junglist said:
Y Tho? They're a business and there is obviously some boon to them to collect specific shopping data. Why should someone who isn't willing to share their shopping habits within a store be entitled to the lower price?

We're talking about shopping. Not private health or financial data. Just things you put in your shopping basket. I know we need to be careful about our data but I don't think anything nefarious will come about from shops knowing you prefer granary bread to white bread.

It's just a weird hill to die on. A friend is the same. Fuming that the Tesco meal deal is cheaper for loyalty card owners but because he is against 'Big X' he pays the full price. Like he's teaching Tesco a lesson by spending more money

Have one where you get points not just out right lower price. Then spend said points on what you want on next shop etc.

Junglist · 24 Jul 2025 at 11:36

I find having money off much more useful than having to spend £100 to get £1 in points.

Jim99 · 24 Jul 2025 at 12:10

It's hardly surprising that they've gone down this road.

If I go in to buy a pack of biscuits for £1, I wouldn't even bother to scan my loyalty card half the time - who cares about 0.5p or whatever in points.

But if that pack of biscuits is £2 without a clubcard, or £1 with one, there's no way I'm paying £2 - even if it takes me a bit of effort faffing about with Google Wallet to find the barcode.

I don't like it, but it's probably massively increased the number of people regularly using the cards.

Diddums · 24 Jul 2025 at 12:40

Junglist said:
Honestly, what is the aversion to store loyalty cards?

Loads of people question this, but when a supermarket knows a teenager is pregnant before her parents do, it's a bit awkward.

How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did

Target has perfected the technique of analyzing consumers' shopping habits to figure out who's pregnant. How can they send customers congratulatory coupons without freaking them out?

www.forbes.com

Personally I couldn't care less, my obsession with Monster and bacon isn't going to surprise anyone but for cases like this, I must agree it's a bit creepy.

skipper847 · 24 Jul 2025 at 14:23

Raymond Lin said:
I should set up a new email call “loyaltycardspam” and use everything on that.

If they ask for an address use 123 Fake Street

Hotwired · 24 Jul 2025 at 15:08

Diddums x said:
Loads of people question this, but when a supermarket knows a teenager before her parents do, it's a bit awkward.

How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did

Target has perfected the technique of analyzing consumers' shopping habits to figure out who's pregnant. How can they send customers congratulatory coupons without freaking them out?

www.forbes.com

Personally I couldn't care less, my obsession with Monster and bacon isn't going to surprise anyone but for cases like this, I must agree it's a bit creepy.

Tasteless marketing rubbing a presumption in your face is always creepy.

Blackjack Davy · 24 Jul 2025 at 17:20

I want one of these royalty card things, does it come with a free crown and sceptre?

skipper847 said:
If they ask for an address use 123 Fake Street

Name: A.N. Other

Jay794 · 27 Jul 2025 at 21:51

Loyalty Cards are just an easy way to data farm. Raise the standard prices, then make the "members price" the same as the old price. So you punish customers for not giving away their data

meandu229 · 29 Jul 2025 at 08:17

Junglist said:
Y Tho? They're a business and there is obviously some boon to them to collect specific shopping data. Why should someone who isn't willing to share their shopping habits within a store be entitled to the lower price?

We're talking about shopping. Not private health or financial data. Just things you put in your shopping basket. I know we need to be careful about our data but I don't think anything nefarious will come about from shops knowing you prefer granary bread to white bread.

It's just a weird hill to die on. A friend is the same. Fuming that the Tesco meal deal is cheaper for loyalty card owners but because he is against 'Big X' he pays the full price. Like he's teaching Tesco a lesson by spending more money

My general issues are
I dont trust the companies to keep that data safe, its not too much of a stretch to think how easy it will be to profile people in the future with data pulled together from various hacks.
Alex once companies have enough data they will get very very good at controlling your life without you realizing it. Imagine driving home and waze knowing that earlier on you were googling for food for dinner tonight, it then sends that to the highest bidder which happens to be McDonalds so the McDonalds on your route home start lighting up with targeted adverts based on your previous orders. When you get to McDonalds you login with your card so they can customise the screen for you and show exactly what the data shows is the best way to get the most money out of you, all the while watching your interactions with the screen and facial cues with the camera to understand what you can be persuaded to buy so that at last minute in the checkout they can offer you those chicken nuggets you hovered over for 99p.
People "say advertising doesnt work on me" but it does. It works on everyone and the more data they have the better it will work.

Efour · 29 Jul 2025 at 08:56

meandu229 said:
My general issues are
I dont trust the companies to keep that data safe, its not too much of a stretch to think how easy it will be to profile people in the future with data pulled together from various hacks.
Alex once companies have enough data they will get very very good at controlling your life without you realizing it. Imagine driving home and waze knowing that earlier on you were googling for food for dinner tonight, it then sends that to the highest bidder which happens to be McDonalds so the McDonalds on your route home start lighting up with targeted adverts based on your previous orders. When you get to McDonalds you login with your card so they can customise the screen for you and show exactly what the data shows is the best way to get the most money out of you, all the while watching your interactions with the screen and facial cues with the camera to understand what you can be persuaded to buy so that at last minute in the checkout they can offer you those chicken nuggets you hovered over for 99p.
People "say advertising doesnt work on me" but it does. It works on everyone and the more data they have the better it will work.

Take the ozempic and stfu.

Junglist · 29 Jul 2025 at 08:57

meandu229 said:
My general issues are
I dont trust the companies to keep that data safe, its not too much of a stretch to think how easy it will be to profile people in the future with data pulled together from various hacks.
Alex once companies have enough data they will get very very good at controlling your life without you realizing it. Imagine driving home and waze knowing that earlier on you were googling for food for dinner tonight, it then sends that to the highest bidder which happens to be McDonalds so the McDonalds on your route home start lighting up with targeted adverts based on your previous orders. When you get to McDonalds you login with your card so they can customise the screen for you and show exactly what the data shows is the best way to get the most money out of you, all the while watching your interactions with the screen and facial cues with the camera to understand what you can be persuaded to buy so that at last minute in the checkout they can offer you those chicken nuggets you hovered over for 99p.
People "say advertising doesnt work on me" but it does. It works on everyone and the more data they have the better it will work.

That all just sounds extra convenient to me. If McDonalds know I don't want their chicken burgers then I'd much rather them show me the food their algorithm will think I'd prefer over showing me countless Mayo Chicken burgers which I wont eat.

If I want a McDonalds, I'll get a McDonalds. If I don't want a McDonalds, I wont get one. I manage to go past many advertising boards of McDonalds without feeling I need McNuggets every single day.

We're talking about food here. I really, really don't care if Big Food Corp™ knows what I like or dislike.

Financial, health and even browsing data I completely support keeping private from prying eyes and I try to have some degree of anonymity online but worrying you're getting targeted adverts from bloody McDonalds is a weird hill to die on.

shifty_uk · 29 Jul 2025 at 09:47

People moaning about supermarkets harvesting their data without realising Overclockers and other online retailers are doing exactly the same thing. Yep, those retargeting ads, those promotional emails, they know what you want and it’s exactly the same practices Supermarkets employ to get your cash..

No one cares that you’ve bought that extra bog roll or a cheeky scud mag this week. There’s more chance of your data getting leaked by other means.