Barclaycard is gearing up to launch a retail rewards scheme, Barclaycard Freedom, in March. The new loyalty programme will be available to over eight million cardholders who will be able to earn rewards in shops, restaurants and online outlets across the UK, without having to do or pay anything to join.

Cardholders will automatically earn rewards, called 'Reward Money', when they use their card at a participating retailer - one per cent on most transactions alongside regular special promotions and giveaways. After a transaction takes place the cardholder will usually see their new balance on the card machine. Next time they use their card in a participating retailer they will see the value of their balance appear on the card machine before they enter their PIN to pay. They can then choose to redeem some or all of their Reward Money towards that transaction or to continue to save up for a future purchase at another retailer within the scheme.

Sarah Newman, managing director at Barclaycard Freedom, says: "The breadth of Barclaycard Freedom offers customers the chance to earn Reward Money when they do their weekly shop, go out for a meal or shop online. It offers our cardholders something for nothing on top of the benefits they already receive. It incorporates all of the best elements of other reward schemes and with no need to collect and save vouchers - the rewards will be in pounds and pence. Offering special offers and additional giveaways, on top of the steady rate on all purchases, is a novel way of rewarding the loyalty of customers using the scheme. This is an exciting development for our customers, our retail partners and for Barclaycard itself."

The past few months have been spent developing the programme with retail partners, including Timothy Chambers, owner of Cobbys the Florist in Northampton. Chambers comments: "We have been using Barclaycard Freedom as part of a trial in Northampton and have found it very easy to understand and operate. We know that this scheme will allow many smaller retailers and businesses to give something back to their customers, and it allows us all to be part of a larger loyalty scheme which would not have been possible before."

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