A push from the Co-op and Barnardo’s aims to give 16 and 17-year-olds access to supermarket loyalty discounts, highlighting issues of food affordability for young people.
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The Co-op and charity Barnardo’s are urging supermarkets to permit 16 and 17-year-old students to participate in loyalty schemes that offer food discounts. This initiative arises amid escalating financial pressures on young people, with the Co-op indicating that these age groups could save an average of £60 annually through such programs.
Current Access Issues for Young Shoppers
The Co-op asserts it is the only national food retailer in the UK granting 16 and 17-year-olds independent access to savings via its loyalty program. Typically, loyalty schemes are restricted to customers aged 18 and over, compelling younger students to pay full prices.
This exclusion exacerbates their financial challenges, particularly as food prices continue to rise.
In the previous year, Barnardo’s released its Recipe For Success report in partnership with the Co-op, highlighting the urgent need for young people to access affordable food.
The report included several recommendations for government bodies and food retailers, urging them to consider adjustments that would enable 16 and 17-year-olds to purchase discounted food. Proposed solutions include modifying existing discount schemes or creating new ones.
The report also revealed that 97% of Co-op members aged 16 to 25 believe retailers should improve access to affordable food for young people. In a proactive effort, the Co-op, together with Barnardo’s and consumer group Which?, sent a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, requesting support to dismantle barriers that prevent 16 and 17-year-olds from accessing food retail discounts.
Voices of Advocacy
Rachel Halter, the Co-op’s director of membership, stated, “We see first-hand the volume of young people that come into our stores to buy food and drink. This number increases during term times as they rely on our stores during their studies. I feel strongly that opening access to value for young people is an important issue, one we’ve been campaigning on with Barnardo’s for more than 12 months, and we’ve yet to see any changes.”
Halter expressed her frustration, noting, “It seems wrong to me that we are close to allowing 16-year-olds the ability to vote, yet they can’t access lower-priced food and offers to save money when shopping from many retailers.” This sentiment is echoed by Lynn Perry, CEO of Barnardo’s, who pointed out that research indicates nearly one in four secondary and college-aged students struggles to access healthy food.
A Call to Action for Retailers
Ola Anretioloaluwa, a 20-year-old university student and member of the Co-op and Barnardo’s Youth Advisory Group, emphasized the inequity of excluding young individuals from discounts based solely on age. “The cost-of-living crisis is hitting everyone hard, and young people aren’t excluded from that—so why should they be excluded from discounts?”
Sue Davies, head of food policy at Which?, highlighted the ramifications of this exclusion, stating, “Many supermarket loyalty schemes are unavailable to under-18s, which will no doubt impact the pockets of young people and students returning to work, school, or college in the coming weeks.” She called on other retailers to follow the Co-op’s lead and extend their loyalty programs to younger shoppers who are currently missing out on exclusive deals.
As the back-to-school season approaches, both the Co-op and Barnardo’s are urging all supermarkets to reassess their policies and broaden their discount schemes to include 16 and 17-year-olds, fostering a future where all young people can access affordable food options.
