// British supermarkets accused of excluding elderly customers from accessing loyalty card discounts
// Both Sainsbury’s Nectar and Asda Rewards loyalty scheme require an email address or smartphone app to access the offers
British supermarkets have been accused of excluding elderly customers from accessing exclusive member pricing as food prices soar to a 45-year high.
Campaign groups argue that with many loyalty schemes requiring internet connectivity, it is difficult for the elderly to access the offers available.
Sainsbury’s Nectar scheme requires an email address while Asda Rewards customers need to use a smartphone app to access loyalty offers.
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Other supermarkets such as Morrisons and Tesco offer alternative sign-up methods such as using a home address or a phone number.
Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams told The Telegraph: “In an increasingly online world, those who do not use digital technology can feel they are being left behind.
“At Age UK we regularly hear from older people who are told that they should be doing things online and who find that because they do not use the internet, they often miss out on the best prices, loyalty discounts and rewards.”
On Thursday, Sainsbury’s revealed it would be extending its Nectar Prices initiative online “in the next few weeks” in a move to boost its value credentials.
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