Pret A Manger trials loyalty club as expansion continues

Pret A Manger is launching trials of its first loyalty programme, which it claims is the result of customer demand, with Pret Coffee Subscribers getting early access as part of its beta testing.

Starting this week, Pret Perks will be available to these subscribers through their Pret A Manger digital accounts on the iOS app or via the Pret website, using their existing coffee subscription permanent QR code.

Pret Perks users will earn a star every time they shop, or use click and collect. Pret Coffee Subscribers will also earn a star for every month they renew their subscription and any time they purchase a meal or a snack along with one of their five Barista-made drinks a day.

Customers will be able to choose a reward from a pre-assigned category after receiving ten stars, from Pret popcorn to vegan cookies. Customers can redeem their reward in shops up to 30 days after earning it.

The company insists that the more customers shop at Pret, the more the reward redemptions will be tailored to their preferences, with Pret’s ‘random acts of kindness’ also included in the proposition, meaning bonus stars will help customers earn rewards faster.

Pret says the scheme is the next step in its transformation plan which aims to bring Pret to more people and another way the company is enhancing its digital offering.

Over the last 18 months, Pret has launched the Coffee Subscription, a click and collect service, expanding delivery services with Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat as well as launching its own mobile app. The company recently announced it would also be expanding to open more than 200 shops in the UK in next two years in both regional and suburban areas.

Pret UK managing director Clare Clough said: “At Pret we know that we have loyal customers who visit us time and time again. Whether they come in each morning for their organic coffee, or regularly grab a Classic Super Club sandwich on their lunch break. For a while now, we’ve wanted to find a way to reward our customers by giving them treats that are specifically tailored to their preferences, and Pret Perks does just that.

“As with any new piece of technology we are currently in the testing phase and rolling this out slowly to our Pret Superfans, our Coffee Subscribers, and will be looking to take learnings on board to make the loyalty programme the best it can be. We hope to open it up to all customers as soon as possible in 2022.

“Over the past 18 months we’ve responded to how people now want to interact with our brand and products, from launching bake-at-home croissants, to growing our digital capabilities through the launch of Pret’s Coffee Subscription. We’re excited by this latest digital evolution, which allows customers to engage with our brand.

“Pret Perks is our new way to thank our wonderful customers for choosing Pret each time and we look forward to rolling it out to the masses in the near future with unmatched rewards.”

In July, the company appointed VCCP as its first global integrated communications agency, with a growing focus on digital communications and omnichannel campaigning.