Coffee chain Pret A Manger has announced major changes to its Club Pret subscription service that will see the end of free coffees and discounts on its food.
The current model offers up to five free barista-made drinks a day, alongside a 20% discount on all food, costing £30 a month.
A new model, which was announced earlier today, is set to make the chain more accessible to all customers, not just those who subscribe. It will see a significant decrease in pricing, offering customers a 50% discount on up to five drinks and completely removing the discount on food. The new membership will cost £10 a month, but new and existing customers will be charged just £5 a month until 31 March 2025.
This news comes just weeks after the announcement that competitor, Leon, had introduced its own coffee subscription model, undercutting Pret in its monthly fee.
Pret A Manger first introduced its coffee subscription four years ago, in the aftermath of the pandemic, as a means of encouraging customers back into its shops. The scheme has gone through a number of iterations over the years, with price increases, changes to the food discounts, and the introduction of a number of measures to crack down on subscription sharing.
Whilst many will be disappointed by these changes, the coffee chain has also announced price reductions for several of its best selling items, such as filter coffee, which will now be available for 99p, and its all butter croissant which will now be priced at £1.99.
Clare Clough, Pret's managing director, commented on the changes, stating: 'Four years and over a quarter of a billion coffees later, we have decided that it’s time to rethink how it works.
'We know this is a change. But with Club Pret subscription, our coffees, teas, coolers and iced drinks will continue to be the best offer on the high street, and at a much more accessible price than the £360 a year people have to pay for the current scheme.
'Given the majority of our customers are not Club Pret subscribers, our priority now is to focus on better value for everyone.'
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