Match & More future in balance

New Morrisons’ boss Dave Potts has launched a review of the retailer’s Match & More loyalty scheme as part of a wider root and branch overhaul of the business.
The review could go either way, with the scheme either being abandoned or expanded, although most observers believe it is unlikely to stay as it is.
Potts has already booted out the man who launched the card; group customer marketing and digital director Nick Collard was one of five senior executives to leave the supermarket chain in March.
However, Potts’ background – he worked his way up from the shopfloor to the board at Tesco – means he will be fully aware of the value of loyalty schemes; Tesco Clubcard is deeply-rooted within the business. He will also know how much a well-run scheme costs to operate.
And there is hardly an abundance of cash at Morrisons. The retailer has just revealed a new dip in profits – down to 2.9% in the 13 weeks to May 3 – and a raft of job cuts which will set it back £40m.
As part of his turnaround plan, Potts has indicated that while Morrisons’ focus on price would continue “we are not a one club golfer. Customers will often talk about value for money. Value for money does include price, but it includes quality, provenance and customer service”.
As it stands, the Morrisons Match & More card – which compares Morrisons’ prices against those of the other big supermarkets as well as Aldi and Lidl – is all about price.
It has hardly had a good reception in the loyalty industry either, with DunnHumby founder Clive Humby branding it “a waste of time”.

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