Nectar members using Sainsbury’s EV charging bays from the grocer’s new ultra-rapid charging service, Smart Charge, are starting to be rewarded with loyalty points.
The addition of loyalty-linked electric vehicle charging – set to be activated across Smart Charge’s network by the end of June – comes as Sainsbury’s EV charging arrived at its 50th location last week. A dozen bays were installed at the supermarket chain’s Enfield Superstore on 12 June.
Sainsbury’s said its EV charging service is the first in the UK to offer a national loyalty scheme.
One Nectar point is given for every £1 spent at Sainsbury’s EV charging stations, which the supermarket chain started to introduce at the beginning of 2024. The Smart Charge business is expected to be available at circa 100 Sainsbury’s locations by the end of the year.
Talking last week, Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s director of property, procurement & EV Ventures, commented: “Today marks a huge milestone for our Smart Charge business as we become the first EV charging provider to offer customers loyalty benefits from a UK leading loyalty programme, Nectar.
“Rolling out across June, customers using any of our 400 Smart Charge bays across the country will now be able to benefit from collecting Nectar points to spend on their favourite brands. With bays in more locations than ever before, and Sainsbury’s stores conveniently placed far and wide, it has never been easier for EV drivers across the UK to access ultra-rapid facilities, and now they can reap the benefit of Nectar points too.”
Smart Charge is the only fully owned and end-to-end managed EV charging business from a UK supermarket, with the grocer saying it wants to advance the uptake of electric vehicles in the country, by making charging more accessible.
Service information and new openings are published on a dedicated Smart Charge website.
Read more about electric vehicle usage in retail on Green Retail World
[image credit: Green Retail World]
