Sky News: Tesco to open Clubcard to under-18s this year after consumer pressure

Tesco has said it intends to make its Clubcard loyalty scheme available to under-18s this year, a move that could extend access to discounted prices for younger shoppers. The change, highlighted in recent consumer coverage, matters because loyalty discounts can materially reduce grocery bills and because the decision follows sustained campaigning and regulator commentary, sky news noted.

What happened and what’s new

The supermarket has said that it is "actively reviewing" its Clubcard with the intention of making it available to under-18s within the year. The Clubcard offers discounts on thousands of products and allows shoppers to collect points that can be exchanged for vouchers. The retailer added that customers without a Clubcard can still find value through existing price-match and everyday low-price schemes.

Consumer advocates have pressed supermarkets to broaden access to loyalty schemes, arguing that age, address and digital-access requirements exclude many people from lower prices. Research cited in recent coverage places the typical saving from using a loyalty card at the supermarket in question at about 8% on a large weekly shop; individual product savings can be larger.

Behind the headline: Sky News context

The decision follows campaigning by consumer groups and commentary from the competition regulator that, while eligibility rules are unlikely to breach consumer law, firms could do more to widen access, including to younger customers. Loyalty schemes are also a commercial tool: they enable retailers to gather purchasing data and tailor discounts as margins are squeezed by rising food prices.

Current eligibility rules vary across retailers: several major chains require customers to be 18 or over to join their loyalty schemes, while others allow sign-up at younger ages or permit children to be added to a parent or guardian’s account. That inconsistent landscape has prompted calls for change and helped drive the retailer’s review.

The development has been discussed in recent consumer coverage and commentary, and the item has appeared in pieces tracked by sky news as part of broader reporting on supermarket access and fairness.

What we still don’t know

• Exact timetable for when under-18s will be able to join the Clubcard scheme.
• Operational details of how under-18 sign-up will work, including whether identity verification or parental consent will be required.
• Whether the change will cover the full range of Clubcard pricing and benefits from day one or roll out in phases.
• Which other supermarkets, if any, will follow suit and on what timeline.
• How the retailer will address data protection and marketing practices for younger account holders.

What happens next

• Rapid implementation: the retailer completes its review and opens Clubcard to under-18s within months, with a clear sign-up process and broad access to existing discounts. Trigger: formal announcement of an implementation date.
• Phased rollout: under-18 access is introduced gradually, with certain age bands or product categories added first. Trigger: staged guidance from the retailer on roll-out phases.
• Operational delay: the review concludes but the change is postponed while the retailer addresses verification, data or legal concerns. Trigger: a statement indicating an implementation delay tied to operational constraints.
• Market follow-through: other supermarkets reassess their eligibility rules and adjust policies to avoid competitive disadvantage. Trigger: industry statements or parallel policy changes by rival retailers.
• Regulatory engagement: competition authorities or consumer bodies press for broader industry changes if progress is slow. Trigger: formal guidance or public remarks from regulators or campaign groups urging faster action.

Why it matters

For households with younger members, expanding Clubcard access could mean immediate, tangible savings at the checkout—research referenced in recent coverage estimates average savings of roughly 8% on a large shop from loyalty pricing at the supermarket named in the review. That shift could ease cost-of-living pressures for families and younger consumers who currently miss out because of age or account restrictions.

For the retailer, widening eligibility widens the pool of customers whose purchases inform targeted offers, reinforcing the commercial value of loyalty programmes. For the wider grocery sector, a move by this major chain could prompt competitors to revise their own rules to remain competitive. Finally, the way the change is implemented will affect data practices, safeguarding, and how benefits are shared among shoppers.

Observers and customers should watch for a formal implementation timeline, precise sign-up mechanics for under-18s, and any follow-up actions by other supermarkets and regulators as the review progresses.