Morrisons is giving students a 10% discount on food and drink, including beer and wine, in the first such move by a “big- four” supermarket.
It has linked up with the student discount specialists UNiDAYS to trial the scheme in all of its 492 UK stores. The discount, will also be available in its cafes and petrol-station kiosks, but not on online shopping.
The retailer, which has more than 11m shoppers passing through its doors each week, said many of its stores were close to university campuses and, as a result, it felt the need to build loyalty with students. If the three-month trial is successful, the scheme could be rolled out permanently, it added.
“We listened to students and they told us that they would be more loyal to a supermarket that offered the sort of discounts that they get on rail travel, clothes and eating out,” said Rebecca Singleton, Morrisons director of local solutions.
A recent survey by NatWest bank found that grocery shopping was students’ biggest weekly expenditure after rent, with food and drink costing a average of £19.78 a week. Eight in 10 of those questioned said they would be more likely to shop somewhere regularly if they automatically received a discount.
To trigger their discount, students need to sign up to the free UNiDAYS app on their mobile phone, which they can download via iTunes or the Google Play store.
“We regularly engage with our student members to find out which discounts are important to them and will make the biggest difference,” said UNiDAYS chief executive, Josh Rathour. “Food and groceries is a recurring request coming in via our website and app.”
Under the new Co-op membership, which launched on Wednesday, students who have an NUS extra card – and who are also Co-op members – get 10% off groceries, drinks, household products and newspapers and magazines at The Co-operative Food. On top of this, there is a 5% payment into their membership wallet/account from own-brand purchases.
Students have to purchase an NUS extra card online or at their union in order to qualify for the discount.
