Freeloaders rejoice: Waitrose is bringing back free coffee for customers even if they don’t buy anything. This is a bad idea that will make shopping in what was once a nice supermarket even more miserable.
The reintroduction of free coffee means more people through the door, and therein lies the problem
Before the pandemic, the coffee perk for members of the My Waitrose scheme could mean big queues. Originally introduced in 2013, the giveaway turned Waitrose into the second largest purveyor of coffee in the country, but the hordes it attracted irritated other shoppers. The perk was rescinded in 2020 during the pandemic and reintroduced in 2022, so long as a purchase was made. Now it’s back to freeloaders’ paradise with no purchase necessary.
“Some of our My Waitrose members like to have the free coffee before they shop or during the shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback,” said the retailer.
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