Waitrose is bringing back free coffee for customers who buy nothing

From January 27, 2025, My Waitrose members will be entitled to one complimentary hot drink every day with no purchase needed as long as they bring a reusable cup.

Waitrose said it would only provide cups in “some cases” subject to availability and the free coffee includes dairy alternatives including oat milk.

The free coffee perk was first introduced by Waitrose in 2013 but after four years the terms were changed and free coffees only applied to customers who had made a purchase in-store.

The loyalty perk was entirely scrapped by Waitrose during the Covid pandemic before making a return under the condition of a purchase being made in 2022.

A spokesperson for Waitrose told the BBC: “Some of our members like to have their free coffee before or during their shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback.”

This comes after Waitrose and John Lewis also started offering free hot drinks to on-duty police officers in August 2023 in a bid to crack down on crime in its stores.

Waitrose said at the time that it hoped by welcoming officers into its stores it would deter thieves.

Waitrose also recently expanded its partnership with Caffè Nero, which it partners with for its My Waitrose free coffee loyalty scheme, to open a number of branded in-shop cafés across both John Lewis and Waitrose stores in the UK.

The in-shop cafés offer coffees from Nero Roasting Company alongside the Waitrose food menu and operate alongside the existing partnership between Nero Group and Waitrose.