Co-op and children's charity Banardos have called on food retailers with loyalty schemes to review their policies and allow young people to make savings.

Co-op claims it is the only national UK food retailer to offer 16 and 17-year-olds independent access to saving benefits as part of its membership scheme, adding that under 16s are also eligible to become junior members with parent or guardian permission.

The retailer said other British food retailers with loyalty schemes only offer saving benefits to shoppers who are over 18, which denies “millions” of young people access to loyalty value in their stores.

Students often purchase a meal deal as a value lunch option and according to the Co-op members can save an average of £60 a year through loyalty schemes.

Additional research by the Co-op has found that some 73 per cent of 16 and 17-year-olds have chosen not to buy food or drink products from a retailer due to higher prices when not using a loyalty card.

Rachel Halter, director of membership at Co-op, said the company sees the number of young people buying food increase during term times and allowing them membership would provide them with both economic and social value.

“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’re yet to see any changes,” she added. “It seems wrong to me that we are close to allowing 16-year-olds the ability to vote, yet they can’t access lower price food and offers to save money when shopping from many retailers.”

In 2024, Barnardo’s released a policy report in partnership with Co-op which highlighted the importance of access to food for young people’s well-being.

The report set out several recommendations to Government and food retailers to make impactful changes, one of these being to consider ways that 16 and 17-year-olds can access discounted food by amending the terms of their retail discount schemes or considering the introduction of other discounts.

The report also included Co-op member data which showed that 97 per cent of Co-op members aged 16-25 believe that retailers should look at ways of increasing access to affordable food for young people, particularly as they become more independent.

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