Disloyalty Cards and the Future of M&S’s Sparks Programme

  • M&S chairman Archie Norman criticizes traditional loyalty cards as ‘disloyalty cards’
  • Sparks loyalty programme focuses on personalization rather than blanket promotions
  • M&S investing over £200m in tech upgrade for Sparks programme
  • The Parent Hood baby club offers tailored benefits to Sparks members

M&S chairman Archie Norman has challenged the concept of traditional loyalty cards, calling them ‘disloyalty cards used for pseudo promotions.’ Speaking at the 2025 Retail Technology Show, he criticized differential pricing tactics and emphasized that M&S is focusing on personalization through its Sparks loyalty programme. Instead of offering discounts, the company aims to understand individual shopping habits and provide tailored benefits. To achieve this, M&S is investing over £200m in a major tech upgrade for the Sparks programme. The Parent Hood baby club, exclusive to Sparks members, offers personalized benefits across various categories like baby clothing, food, and in-store cafés. Norman’s comments come amid growing scrutiny of supermarket loyalty schemes.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about M&S chairman Archie Norman’s views on loyalty schemes and the company’s approach to their Sparks programme. It also includes relevant details about other retailers’ loyalty programmes and a study by the Competition and Markets Authority. However, it contains some repetitive information and personal perspective presented as fact.
Noise Level: 4
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about M&S chairman Archie Norman’s views on loyalty schemes and the company’s approach to personalization through their Sparks programme. It also mentions the CMA’s findings on supermarket loyalty programmes offering genuine savings. However, it could benefit from more in-depth analysis of the impact of these schemes on consumers and the retail industry as a whole.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses M&S’s Sparks loyalty programme and their focus on personalization rather than discounts, as well as the debate around supermarket loyalty schemes and their impact on consumer trust. It also mentions Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Co-op’s profit quadrupling. These topics are related to financial aspects of retail businesses and customer behavior.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: Other
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Minor
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event mentioned in the article, and the main topic discusses M&S chairman’s views on loyalty schemes in retail. The impact of this discussion is considered minor as it does not involve any significant consequences or effects.

Reported publicly: www.retailgazette.co.uk