{"id":9603,"date":"2025-02-04T21:26:24","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T21:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=9603"},"modified":"2025-02-04T21:26:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T21:26:24","slug":"waitrose-brings-back-free-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=9603","title":{"rendered":"Waitrose brings back free coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\t\tVicky Parry<\/small><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t<\/i> 23rd Jan 2025<\/small>
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Waitrose brings back free coffee for all loyalty scheme members, no purchase required<\/strong><\/p>\n

Waitrose has announced the return of free coffee for all members of its MyWaitrose loyalty scheme, even if they don\u2019t make a purchase in-store. From 27 January, customers can enjoy one complimentary hot drink a day, provided they bring a reusable cup.<\/p>\n

The move reinstates a perk first introduced in 2013, which became a hallmark of the supermarket\u2019s loyalty offering. However, the scheme\u2019s terms were revised in 2017 to require an in-store purchase, before being scrapped altogether during the Covid pandemic.<\/p>\n

A Waitrose spokesperson said: \u201cSome of our members like to have their free coffee before or during their shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n

The free coffee offer was hugely popular at its launch but proved divisive. Some loyal Waitrose shoppers criticised it for allegedly attracting \u201cthe wrong type\u201d of customer to stores.<\/p>\n

After being suspended in the early days of the pandemic, the offer was reintroduced gradually under Dame Sharon White, former chair of the John Lewis Partnership, which owns Waitrose. Her successor, Jason Tarry, who took over in September 2023 after three decades at Tesco, has now fully reinstated the original policy.<\/p>\n

The scheme has previously faced criticism from Labour politicians. In 2014, Andy Sawford, then shadow communities minister, urged MPs to oppose it, arguing it could harm independent coffee shops and further erode the high street. David Cameron, prime minister at the time, dismissed such concerns, saying he didn\u2019t see what there was to complain about.<\/p>\n

Police officers remain the only other group eligible for free Waitrose coffee without a purchase. The supermarket began offering complimentary drinks to police last August as part of an initiative to deter shoplifting. Pete Nightingale, secretary of West Mercia Police Federation, said at the time: \u201cIt makes sense from a business perspective because any police presence is bound to have an impact \u2013 either as a reassurance for shoppers or a deterrent for shoplifters.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n