I compared Sainsbury’s Nectar card to Tesco Clubcard – there’s only one clear winner

While loyalty schemes have long been in place with big stores across the UK, certain cards can now unlock big discounts and rewards, as well as exclusive prices.

Tesco hit headlines last year after customers claimed the supermarket giant was “forcing” shoppers into getting a clubcard, with big price differences displayed in-store for those browsing without one.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s – who own Nectar 360 – have gradually started introducing exclusive discounts for customers using a Nectar card at checkout.

But which one is better? Having had both cards for years, I wanted to put them to the test to see which one gave more benefits – and for me there was a clear winner.

According to figures from Barclays, 37 percent of Brits use loyalty points or vouchers during their supermarket shop, with the cost of living crisis making it even more vital to find those bargains.

Both cards give customers lower prices on selected products, as well as points and rewards. And the two cards follow a similar points system, giving one point per £1 spent in store – though Nectar do offer personalised bonus point offers.

As well as offering discounts on certain items, both cards have partners that allows you to build up points through purchases at other companies.

There is a difference when it comes to what points are worth, with one point being the equivalent to 0.5p with Nectar, while with Tesco’s Clubcard it’s 1p.

Therefore, if you spend £100 at Sainsbury’s, you get just 50p back, while with Tesco’s Clubcard you get £1 back. According to Which? research, using a Clubcard can save you around six percent on your overall cost of shopping, while Nectar can save you around 2.1 percent.

Whilst this research indicates Tesco could be the clear winner, I found that I made more savings with my Nectar card thanks to its partner deals.

You can also get Nectar points when using a range of petrol stations, as well as purchases from eBay or Argos. Other notable partners include British Airways, Caffe Nero, Eurostar, Sky and VUE Cinemas.

On the other hand, Tesco Clubcard is partnered with the likes of Disney+, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and the RAC.

Currently, I have a total of 286 points in my Nectar account – the equivalent to £1.43 to spend. In my Tesco Clubcard account, I have just 77 points – with another 73 needed to request a £1.50 voucher. It’s also worth noting that I use my Nectar card a lot more than my Clubcard, regularly spending some of the vouchers I receive.

I also find that Nectar give a lot more coupons than Tesco Clubcard, with the self-checkouts at Sainsbury’s constantly spouting out new ones with point offers and exclusive deals.

And while Tesco offer more enticing exclusive price discounts, I find myself using my Nectar card more often, whether it’s at a petrol station or while shopping.

With Tesco, it seems to be annually when the big rewards roll in. At certain points of the year you are given the opportunity to double your points with their partnering brands, which can be excellent if you’ve saved up enough.

But, for me, the Nectar card is a clear winner thanks to its array of partners and vouchers available, but I also wouldn’t dare shop at Tesco without a Clubcard, with the price difference making it almost impossible to not have one.