Key findings:
- Sainsbury’s is the leading supermarket for customer satisfaction, achieving an overall score of 42.7/60 in the study.
- High-end chain Booths stands out as the only supermarket where 100% of its stores feature a cafe.
- When evaluating supermarket loyalty schemes, Tesco excels for its Clubcard offering, achieving a weighted score of 7.9/10.
- Sainsbury’s sets the standard with strong Trustpilot reviews at 3.6/5, highlighting exceptional customer service and satisfaction.
- Eight out of 13 supermarkets analysed offer a scan and go service, enhancing convenience and the overall shopping experience for customers.
From navigating the busy aisles of Aldi on a Sunday afternoon to restock your fridge for the week ahead, to popping into your Sainsbury’s Local for a sweet treat to enjoy during a weekend movie marathon, it’s safe to say Brits spend a lot of time in supermarkets.
Supermarkets are no longer just a place to pick up your groceries, as most of them now offer a range of services, such as in-store cafés, affordable homeware sections and trending clothing lines, providing a convenient one-stop destination for millions of shoppers.
But, how well do these supermarket giants efficiently meet the needs of their customers? To answer this, the retail experts at Wethrift have conducted an in-depth analysis to identify which UK supermarkets lead the way for customer satisfaction and convenience.
Which Supermarkets Deliver the Best Shopping Experience?
Sainsbury’s leads the way for customer satisfaction and convenience, with an impressive overall score of 42.7/60.
The chain offers a diverse range of over 1,400 stores across the UK, including convenient Sainsbury’s Local stores and larger supermarkets equipped with cafés, homeware sections, and clothing departments.
This variety allows the brand to cater to a wide range of customer needs, from quick trips for a couple of essential items to more comprehensive shopping experiences, making it a one-stop destination for households of all sizes.
Our research also revealed that Sainsbury’s is the highest reviewed supermarket on Trustpilot, with 3.6/5 stars. The supermarket is well-known for its exceptional customer service, high-quality products, and convenient online shopping experience.
Sainsbury’s website performance has a load speed of just 2.6 seconds, which ensures customers can browse, search, and complete online purchases quickly and efficiently, minimising delays and frustrations.
The fast website speed also makes it easier to book delivery slots and access essential information, enhancing convenience for busy shoppers.
Next up in second place is Tesco with an overall score of 39.6/60 for customer satisfaction.
The chain has an extensive presence with just under 4,300 stores nationwide, the highest of any UK supermarket. This offers customers widespread accessibility and convenience. The chain also operates a variety of store types, including Tesco Express, Superstore, and Extra, that allow customers to choose the store that best meets their needs.
Claiming third place overall is popular supermarket chain Morrisons, with a score of 39.3/60.
With 1,735 nationwide, Morrisons has the third-highest number of stores for any UK supermarket. With a significant number of stores, Morrison’s aims to ensure that customers can easily find a location near them, making shopping more accessible for a greater number of people.
Morrison’s is also the second-highest rated supermarket on Trustpilot with 2.5/5 stars, many of which comment on the great delivery experience, friendly and helpful staff, and clean stores.
Supermarket Cafés: Enhancing the Customer Experience
In 2023, supermarket cafés increased their market share by 3%, which indicates that budget-conscious consumers are prioritising price over brand when getting their coffee fix. In light of this, we wanted to explore which supermarkets have the best café offering.
The research revealed that high-end brand Booths is the only UK supermarket with a café in 100% of its stores.
All 27 stores located across the north of England offer a café for customers to enjoy. The brand prides itself on using ingredients that you can buy in store for several of its menu items, providing shoppers with a chance to try before they buy.
Supplying customers with a café enhances the overall shopping experience at Booths, providing a more enjoyable and relaxing atmosphere. Shoppers appreciate the opportunity to sit down and have a coffee or light meal at the supermarket, turning their routine weekly shop into a more pleasant outing.
Waitrose ranks in second place, with 39% of its stores offering a café.
129 of the supermarket’s 329 stores have a cafe, providing a more premium shopping experience that goes beyond simply purchasing products. Waitrose café reflects its customers needs by offering high-quality and ethically sourced menu items, usually with a strong focus on locally sourced ingredients and organic options.
Asda claims third place, with a cafe in 24% of its stores.
Asda has 1,106 supermarkets across the UK, 264 of which provide cafe service to customers. The supermarket chain regularly offers café incentives for customers, which reinforces their commitment to supporting communities and giving back to their customers.
Initiatives like their Winter Warmer program aim to support people who face increased financial pressures during the colder winter months, highlighting the supermarket’s understanding of their customers’ needs.
Effective Loyalty Schemes: Which Supermarkets Offer the Best Rewards?
As of 2024, 82% of UK adults are members of a supermarket loyalty program, with 85% stating that loyalty programs make them more likely to continue shopping with a brand. So, which supermarket loyalty scheme is the most rewarding for customers?
Tesco Clubcard leads the way for supermarket loyalty schemes, with a weighted score of 7.9/10.
Research has shown that Tesco Clubcard is the most recognised loyalty program in the UK, with 72% of British adults aware of it. The scheme has the best return on spend for its customers, as every 150 Clubcard points earned translates into £1.50 in Clubcard vouchers.
This has been a crucial way for the brand to encourage engagement and loyalty, regardless of their customer’s shopping budget. Clubcard points can also be redeemed for up to double or triple their value at Reward Partners such as restaurants, day trips, and travel services.
Some additional benefits include reduced Clubcard Prices in store and online, exclusive discounts, and early access to offers. These are particularly beneficial for regular Tesco shoppers and families looking to maximise savings and reduce spending, and they appeal to those who want flexibility in how they use their rewards.
With a weighted score of 6.9/10, Sainsbury’s Nectar scheme is the second-best supermarket loyalty program in the UK.
While there isn’t a strict minimum spend for rewards, points are accumulated gradually, and their value is approximately 0.5p per point when redeemed. For example, 500 points would equate to £2.50 in vouchers.
The program is flexible and straightforward, making it accessible to customers who want to benefit from their regular spending without needing to meet high threshold requirements.
Customers can also redeem points with partner retailers such as eBay or Argos, which is another great incentive for retaining customers. Some other additional benefits include personalised offers and bonus points through the Nectar app.
Asda Rewards and Co-op Membership both rank in third place with a joint weighted score of 6.5/10.
Asda encourages its customers to complete missions and purchase star products in a bid to build their Cashpot. The Cashpot can then be converted into vouchers for money off at the supermarket. Other benefits include personalised offers and limited-time bonuses.
The Co-op Membership scheme gives customers exclusive access to lower prices, personalised offers, access to Co-Op Live events, and discounts across the Co-Op group.
How Scan and Shop Services are Revolutionising the Shopping Experience
Scan and shop services are becoming increasingly popular at supermarkets across the UK. In 2022, Tesco’s Scan as You Shop accounted for almost 80 million transactions. We looked into how many supermarket brands are offering this service and why it’s beneficial for customers.
The results show that eight out of the 13 supermarkets included in our analysis offer some form of scan and shop service. This includes Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Waitrose & Partners, Lidl, Ocado, Morrisons, and Aldi.
Lidl is one of the most recent supermarkets to implement this service, adding the feature to its Lidl Plus loyalty app. Customers must check into their store via the app, scan products on their phone, and pack their bags as they shop. The app is scanned at the checkout, which sends the digital shopping basket to the till for payment.
Morrisons is another supermarket that has only recently started trialling the scan-and-go technology, with six of its stores involved in the trial in September 2024. Tesco has been offering the service for the longest, first introducing their Scan as You Shop service in 2012.
Scan and shop services offer significant benefits for customers, most notably enhancing convenience and efficiency during their shopping trips. The service reduces the amount of time spent at checkouts, which can be a stressful aspect of the shopping experience for many customers due to factors such as long lines or temperamental self-service machines.
Customers can also monitor their spending in real-time, which helps them stick to a budget more efficiently. Scan and shop service are also often integrated with the supermarket’s loyalty scheme, providing instant access to discounts and personalised offers.
Methodology:
To provide a comprehensive overview of UK supermarkets and their customer-centric offerings, this analysis considers several key criteria that impact customer satisfaction and convenience. The study includes supermarkets of various sizes, ranging from large chain stores to smaller, regional outlets, and evaluates them on multiple factors grouped into three major categories:
Supermarket Features and Accessibility:
Each supermarket was analysed based on its number of locations, the availability of in-store cafés, 24-hour stores, and the option for “Scan & Shop” (a self-service shopping technology). This information provides insight into the accessibility and convenience each supermarket offers. Ratios of supermarkets with cafés and 24-hour store availability were calculated, with scores assigned based on the prevalence of these features.
Loyalty Schemes and Benefits:
Loyalty programmes were evaluated on multiple factors, including the minimum spend required for rewards, return on spend, biggest reward potential, additional benefits, ease of use, and flexibility. Each metric received a weighted score reflecting its significance in determining the overall effectiveness of the loyalty scheme. Specifically:
Return on Spend: This score (weighted at 30%) evaluates the amount customers must spend to receive rewards.
Biggest Reward Potential: This (weighted at 20%) identifies each programme’s top reward to highlight high-value options.
Additional Benefits: Additional programme perks such as exclusive discounts and event access (weighted at 20%) were assessed for added value.
Ease of Use and Flexibility: These metrics (15% each) gauge how easy and flexible each programme is for members.
Customer Experience and Performance: The final section includes customer satisfaction based on Trustpilot reviews and operational efficiency metrics like website load speed. Trustpilot scores reflect customer sentiment, while load speed assesses the digital user experience.
Each factor was assigned a score, and these scores were weighted to provide an “Overall Total” out of 60 points. This comprehensive scoring model enables a balanced comparison across supermarkets, providing valuable insights for consumers and retailers alike.