Sainsbury’s offers little for loyalty

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I envy Katrina Michel (MW July 19) who has a choice of three supermarkets as I now have to go out of my way to avoid Sainsbury’s. Why? Because for months I have been wooed to shop at its St Albans store with the promise of lucrative bonus payouts on my (test site) Saver Card. It was a great scheme; the more you spend, the more bonus levels (and free s) you reach. I was hooked.

But, despite printing leaflets which say that the Saver Card runs until July 27 1996, it decided to withdraw the promotion on June 17 (without stating that it may do this in the Terms & Conditions) and replace it with the inappropriately named Reward Card.

I felt cheated and certainly not rewarded for my loyalty. So much so that I spoke to both the local store manager and the Reward Card department at Stamford Street, saying that I thought the withdrawal of the Saver Card – before the stated closing date – was illegal. Both representatives were unconcerned by my calls and treated me as an annoying customer they had no wish to speak to.

As a loyal Sainsbury’s customer of the past four years, Safeway and Tesco look a lot more attractive now.

Stephanie Abberly

St Albans