There is far more to Tesco Clubcard points than just exchanging them for money off your shopping. Using your points for one of their partner vouchers can get you double their value. Let’s take a look at the best way to use Tesco vouchers, plus some of the things to look out for.
Ah, Tesco Clubcard points. Every little helps, or so they used to say. It’s nice to get a little something back for your loyalty, even though it probably means we have to spend more on our weekly shop. But Clubcard points have been useful to me in the past… I remember being able to trade my points for four times their value.
In 2018, there was some controversy as Tesco decreased the value of their Clubcard rewards to three times their value. And just as we had all accepted that, in 2023, their value dropped again to double their value. Not great, but still not something to be ignored.
How much are Tesco points worth?
You will earn 1 Clubcard point for every £1 you spend. 100 Clubcard points is equal to £1, which gives each point a value of 1 pence.
- 500 points are worth £5
- 750 points are worth £7.50
- 1000 points are worth £10
- 5000 points are worth £50
- 10000 points are worth £100
Also worth reading
What can you swap vouchers for?
There are five categories where you can switch your Clubcard vouchers:
- Eating Out
- Home & Essentials
- Fun
- Lifestyle
- Travel
Which restaurants are included?
Swapping your Tesco vouchers for double their value at your favourite restaurant may sound quite tempting. However, the choice is fairly limited. At the moment, you can eat at:
- Ask Italian
- Bella Italia
- Cafe Rouge
- Chef & Brewer
- Hungry Horse pubs
- Pizza Express
- Prezzo
- Zizzi
You will need to get your Tesco Clubcard partner code before you visit.
What are the best ways to use Tesco Clubcard vouchers?
So, here are some of the best Clubcard rewards you can swap your points for.
Disney Plus
For just £12 worth of Clubcard vouchers, you can get a 3-month subscription worth £24. This offer is available to new and existing customers, but you can only add a voucher once your current subscription finishes.
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle
If you’re looking to take a jaunt over to the near continent, the quickest way to do it is through the Channel Tunnel. However, it’s not always the cheapest, with the ferry companies offering very competitive deals. However, you can swap £5 of Tesco Clubcard points for £10 to spend on your Eurotunnel journey.
Just exchange your vouchers when you book online or call Eurotunnel with the number provided in the email to book your trip. And take a look at my post about Dover to Calais to see whether you should go by tunnel or ferry.
Cinema tickets
If watching the biggest blockbusters is your thing, why not get a discount at your local Cineworld? Fifty pence in points will give you £1 to spend. It is worth noting that if you book your ticket online, you must pay a booking fee when paying with Tesco vouchers. There is no fee if you buy the ticket at the cinema..
If you’re a regular cinema goer, then the Cineworld Unlimited card might take your fancy. As it sounds, you can watch any film anytime, as often as you like. Plus, you get 10% off snacks and drinks. £10 of Tesco points will give you £20 towards the card.
Discounts are also available at Picturehouse Cinemas.
Tesco Mobile
Tesco offers competitive prices on its mobile network. But you can swap your vouchers for airtime if you don’t want to pay cash. Although you used to be able to get double the voucher’s value, now, a £5 voucher will get you £5 airtime.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
If you’re looking to get away from it all, £1.50 worth of Clubcard vouchers will give you 300 Virgin points which can be used towards the cost of a flight.
Do you really get good value for money? I checked the cost of a flight from Gatwick to Orlando in the middle of July, and I would need 45,000 points – which worked out at £150 worth of Clubcard vouchers. This is actually quite good, as paying for the flight directly was just over £800.
It’s worth noting that taxes and other fees needed to be added to the Clubcard price.
The not-so-good offers
These offers aren’t bad, it’s just that they’re not quite as good as the rest. That’s because you can often find decent discount deals elsewhere, so your Tesco vouchers are better off used for something else.
Breakdown cover
Tesco will allow you to get 2 x times the value of your Clubcard vouchers with the RAC. In the past, when Clubcard vouchers were worth more, I found that the cost of RAC cover through Tesco was more expensive compared to visiting RAC directly. However, the cost is now exactly the same.
Half-price breakdown cover may sound tempting, but you can find discounts elsewhere. For example, go through a cashback site and, depending on how much you spend, you can receive between £30 and over £100 back.
Days out
Tesco used to offer the option to swap your Clubcard points for a Legoland or a Merlin Annual Pass. This has disappeared, but you can use your points towards day entry into some popular parks, including:
- Legoland Windsor
- Thorpe Park
- Chessington
- Alton Towers
- The London Eye
- Various Sea Life Centres
Again, like the RAC offer, you might want to look elsewhere for discounts. For example, you can often pick up half-price tickets from the back of cereal packets.
Also worth reading
Magazines
There are a lot of magazine subscriptions available, especially from the BBC. But be warned, they don’t work out at half price. Yes, you will get 2 x the value of your Clubcard points, but it’s not all good news.
Going through Tesco Clubcard, Gardner’s World costs £59 for 12 issues – or £29.50 in vouchers. But, go straight to the Buysubscriptions website, and it costs £39.99 for the same period. Yes, using Clubcard will save you money, just not as much as you would expect.
How to get the most from your Clubcard vouchers
As you can see from above, some of the deals offered are better than others and it seems a little unfair that some companies increase their prices just because you’re using your Clubcard vouchers. The best deals come from the likes of Disney+ and Cineworld. With all the other partner offers, similar discounts can often be found elsewhere.
I emailed Tesco to find out why some of their partners charge more, and this was their response:
Hi Pete,
Ours is against the full price for all our deals because it is already an offer and the company may have their own offers and reduced prices which don’t apply to our offer.
I hope this is helpful.
Kind regards
Amanda J
Please don’t get me wrong, as there is still value in Tesco Clubcard vouchers. However, I do think that if a company is offering a special deal, it should be available to all customers at that price.
I recommend that before you exchange your vouchers, look at cashback sites first to see what offers are available. For example, there is little difference between the price of RAC membership between Tesco and the RAC site, so you will be better off using your Clubcard points elsewhere.
How do you swap vouchers for double their value?
You must log in to the Tesco Clubcard website or use the Clubcard app and browse the available offers. When you see something you like, you then decide how many vouchers you want to exchange. You will then be sent a Tesco Reward Partner code to put towards the purchase. Don’t worry if the code doesn’t cover the full cost, as most offers allow you to pay the rest by another form of payment.
If the value of your vouchers is more than the purchase price (for example, you have a £45 Clubcard voucher and only need £40), the extra money is converted back into points and will be available in your next statement.
How to earn extra Tesco Clubcard points
There are several ways to boost how many Clubcard points you can earn.
- Tesco Mobile – earn 1 point for every £1 you spend on your contract (includes SIM only).
- Tesco Bank Credit Card – earn 1 point for every £4 you spend at Tesco or 1 point for every £8 you spend elsewhere.
- Tesco surveys – when you complete a shop at Tesco, visit www.tescoviews.com and fill out a short questionnaire. You’ll be given 25 points and a chance to win a £1000 gift card.
- Esso petrol stations – I’m sure you’re aware that you can earn Clubcard points in Tesco petrol stations, but you also earn 1 point for every £3 you spend on fuel at Esso. Any other purchases from Esso will earn you 1 point for every £1 spent.
When are my Tesco Clubcard vouchers due?
When you shop and earn with Tesco, your Clubcard points aren’t immediately available to spend. Instead, they are sent to you in vouchers four times per year in February, May, August and November.
How long do Clubcard vouchers last?
Once your voucher has been issued, it will last for two years. You can check your online account for expiry dates. Vouchers are listed with the oldest vouchers (closest to expiry) at the top.
Can I use my vouchers for money off my shopping?
You can, but it’s a little bit of a waste. Instead, shop at a Tesco reward partner and double your money.
FAQs
My Tesco Clubcard vouchers have expired, can I do anything?
Clubcard vouchers are only valid for two years. Tesco is quite strict with this policy, but there is no harm in contacting them if you find you have some expired vouchers. You may catch them on a good day.
Do I need to have the exact value of Clubcard vouchers when shopping?
No. When making your purchase, if you don’t have enough Clubcard vouchers, you can pay the rest by another method. And if the value of your voucher is worth more than your purchase, the points will be refunded t
Are Tesco Clubcard vouchers transferable?
No, they are exclusive to each Clubcard member and vouchers can not be transferred to other people’s accounts.
Where do I get a Tesco Clubcard?
You can apply online and print off a temporary card or through the app.
Can I spend my Clubcard vouchers on fuel?
You can, but they are only worth face value.
Can I spend Clubcard vouchers in Esso for fuel?
Yes, but your Tesco voucher is only worth face value.
Is the Tesco Clubcard free?
Absolutely. There is no charge for having a regular Clubcard account.
Can I spend Tesco Clubcard vouchers on alcohol?
Yes, you can. They can be put towards a food or drink shop.
Do you earn Clubcard points with Tesco car insurance?
No, there are no points to be earned from car insurance policies.
Can you use Clubcard points towards the delivery saver plan?
Not any more. You used to be able use your points for the Tesco grocery delivery plan, but that was stopped in 2023.