Asda has announced it will end its discount scheme that millions of UK emergency workers, teachers and military personnel are signed up to.
The retailer signed up to the Blue Light Card scheme during the Covid pandemic to offer discounted products to its members, who include NHS staff, social care workers and armed forces veterans.
Five years on, and the store – currently understood to be the only major supermarket in partnership with the discount scheme – has now said it will end its affiliation later this month.
In a statement on its website, the retailer said: “Asda’s partnership with Blue Light Card is coming to an end on 27 May 2025.
“From 13 May 2025 11am Blue Light Card members will no longer be able to link their Blue Light Card Membership to their Asda Rewards Account.
“Any accounts linked before this date will continue to receive the exclusive member offer as detailed in the terms and conditions until 27 May 2025 11.59pm, at which point the offer will be removed.”
Asda’s Blue Light discounts had included products such as fresh meat, cooked meat, fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, fresh fruit juice and smoothies, dairy and bakery, according to the supermarket’s website.
In a statement issued to The Independent, an Asda spokesperson said: “We launched our partnership with Blue Light Card during the pandemic to provide additional support for emergency workers and would like to thank them for the opportunity to work with them during the last five years.
“Our focus now is on providing all our customers with outstanding value every time they visit our stores or shop with us online.”
It is understood that the supermarket wrote on Tuesday to customers who had linked their Blue Light Card to their Asda Rewards accounts, as was required to enjoy the discounts, to inform them the partnership would be coming to an end later this month.
The Blue Light Card scheme boasts more than four million members, who receive access to some 13,000 discounts with partners ranging from holiday travel companies to restaurant chains.
