Tesco launches new Price Promise scheme

Tesco has launched a new scheme promising compensation if it's not cheaper than Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's. But how does it work?

Tesco has struck another blow in the supermarket price wars by launching its Price Promise in its stores. This offers customers vouchers if they could have bought their shopping cheaper elsewhere.

Depending on how much you spend and how much you could have saved, you’ll get a voucher for up to £10 to redeem against a future shop.

In the past customers could only obtain a voucher by going online to the ‘Price Promise’ website.

Tesco Price Promise

The compensation vouchers apply to both own brand and branded products and prices are compared against Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.

To qualify customers need to have at least 10 products in their basket and at least one must be a comparable item.

Coupons will be issued automatically at the till if you're shopping in store, while online shoppers will be sent a voucher to use within 28 days.

Deals such as 'Buy one, get one free' will also be included in the compensation scheme.

“We’re the first major retailer in the UK to compare our prices against the branded and own label prices of our competitors and give customers an automatic coupon for the difference,” explains Chris Bush, UK Managing Director for Tesco.

How does it compare?

Tesco claims this is the market-leading compensation scheme in the UK, and it's certainly simple and easy to use as it's all automatic. But what do the other supermarkets offer?

Sainsbury’s Brand Match

The Sainsbury’s scheme works in a similar way although you need to spend at least £20 and have at least one branded product in your shopping to qualify.

It only compares its prices with Tesco and Asda and own brand products aren’t included. Therefore you’ll get only a coupon for the difference if the same shopping basket of branded goods is cheaper at the two rival supermarkets.

Asda Price Guarantee

Asda runs its Price Guarantee basket-matching scheme slightly differently. If your basket of goods isn’t at least 10% cheaper than a similar basket at Tesco, Waitrose or Sainsbury’s, you’ll get a voucher for the difference.

This includes branded and “very similar own-label equivalents” and you need to have eight items in your shop for it to qualify.

Vouchers won’t be issued automatically; instead, you’ll need to apply for them online on the Asda Price Guarantee website or via the smartphone app.

Waitrose Brand Price Match

There are no vouchers but Waitrose matches Tesco's prices on branded products, excluding promotions.

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