Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK regulator finds no evidence of misleading supermarket loyalty prices

The CMA examined price changes around loyalty promotions to see if prices were inflated to make discounts seem more attractive.

UK regulator finds no evidence of misleading supermarket loyalty prices

Britain's competition regulator announced on Friday (26) that its ongoing review of supermarket loyalty prices is unlikely to uncover widespread evidence of misleading promotions.

Loyalty schemes, which offer significantly lower prices for members, have become extremely popular among the UK's largest supermarkets. The majority of customers now use these schemes, and an increasing number of products are included in them.


The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) initiated the review in January to examine the impact of loyalty scheme pricing used by many UK supermarkets, including market leader Tesco and second-largest Sainsbury's, which offer discounts exclusively to loyalty card members. The CMA plans to publish a full report on its findings in November.

The watchdog considered whether there are pricing practices that indicate the non-loyalty, or non-member, price may have been artificially inflated to make the loyalty price appear misleadingly attractive.

It looked at what happens to prices before, during, and after a product goes onto a loyalty price promotion.

"Our analysis – involving thousands of loyalty price promotions – is  ongoing, but the results to date suggest we are unlikely to identify widespread evidence of loyalty promotions that mislead shoppers in this way," the CMA said.

But the regulator said it had seen examples of retailers alternating between so-called "was /now" promotions available to all shoppers and loyalty price promotions.

"This raises questions as to what the ‘regular’ price is for the product and therefore whether the claim saving for the ‘was /now’ promotion is genuine," the CMA said, adding it was looking further into this issue.

Over 22 million UK households have a Tesco Clubcard and over 80 per cent of Tesco's UK sales involve them.

Tesco, which has a 27.7 per cent share of the UK grocery market, currently offers over 8,000 Clubcard Prices deals each week, while Sainsbury's, which has a 15.3 per cent share, has rolled out Nectar Prices to about 7,000 products.

Shares in Tesco and Sainsbury's were both up 0.2% in early trading.

Last year, the CMA ruled that Britain's high food price inflation had not been driven by weak retail competition, vindicating supermarkets' rejection of claims they had profiteered during a cost of living crisis.

Separately on Friday, the CMA said UK drivers were still paying too much for road fuel. (Reuters)

More For You

Police officers

Police officers stand guard between an anti fascist group and Tommy Robinson supporters during an anti-immigration rally organised by British anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, in London, Britain, September 13, 2025.

REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

UK defends France migrant returns deal after court blocks first removal

THE British government has defended its new migrant returns deal with France after a High Court ruling temporarily blocked the deportation of an Eritrean asylum seeker, marking an early legal setback to the scheme.

The 25-year-old man, who arrived in Britain on a small boat from France on August 12, was due to be placed on an Air France flight from Heathrow to Paris on Wednesday (17) morning. But on Tuesday (16), Judge Clive Sheldon granted an interim injunction, saying there was a “serious issue to be tried” over his claim to be a victim of trafficking.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian surgeon sentenced to six years for sexual assault

Dr Amal Bose. (Photo: Lancashire Police)

Asian surgeon sentenced to six years for sexual assault

AN ASIAN senior heart surgeon, who abused his position to sexually assault female members of staff, has been jailed for six years.

Dr Amal Bose, from Lancaster, was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault against five colleagues at Blackpool Victoria Hospital between 2017 and 2022. He was cleared of two other charges.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi & Trump

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House on February 13, 2025.

Reuters

Trump greets Modi on 75th birthday, trade talks continue in Delhi

Highlights:

  • Both leaders reaffirm commitment to India-US partnership
  • Trade talks resume in New Delhi amid tariff tensions
  • India defends purchase of discounted Russian oil

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Tuesday called Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and greeted him ahead of his 75th birthday. The phone call sparked hopes of a reset in India-US ties, which had been under strain after Washington doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
11th UK Gatka Championship

All winners received medals and trophies

UK Parliament

11th UK Gatka Championship ends with Welsh debut and £1,000 support for Gatka Akharas

Highlights:

  • The 11th UK National Gatka Championship was hosted near Cardiff, marking the first time in Wales.
  • Winners included Roop Kaur (girls), Navjot Singh (boys), and Gurdeep Singh (men’s).
  • Gatka Federation UK awarded £1,000 to each participating Akhara to support martial arts promotion.
  • Chief guests included MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation.

Gatka Championship marks Welsh debut

The 11th UK National Gatka Championship concluded on a high note near Cardiff, Wales, showcasing the traditional Sikh martial art with flair. Seven leading Gatka Akharas participated, thrilling spectators with their lightning-fast strikes, precision moves and elegant techniques.

Inauguration by global leaders

The tournament was inaugurated by Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation (WGF) and the National Gatka Association of India (NGAI). He was joined by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, President of Gatka Federation UK, alongside other dignitaries including Jagbir Singh Jagga Chakar, President of Wales Kabaddi Club, and community leaders from the Haveli Hotel Pontyclun.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vantara

The site, located in Gujarat, houses hundreds of elephants, as well as 50 bears, 160 tigers, 200 lions, 250 leopards, and 900 crocodiles. (Photo: Instagram/Vantara)

India court probe clears Ambani family’s animal centre

AN INDIAN Supreme Court-ordered investigation has cleared a large private animal facility run by the son of Asia’s richest man, rejecting allegations of wildlife violations.

Vantara, described as the “world’s biggest wild animal rescue centre,” is operated by Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani.

Keep ReadingShow less