The chain's bonus program has different layouts and benefits, which are not easy to navigate.
It's quite difficult to get a good overview as a consumer. It's complicated to understand how to advance in them and how to act to make it pay off over time, says Alfred Johansson.
The bonus programs require spending a few thousand kronor per month to access bonus points and different bonus levels. Loyalty over time pays off with several.
If you spend the majority of your monthly budget at one chain, you advance in their bonus system, says Alfred Johansson, business manager at Matpriskollen.
"Be a member of all"
Matpriskollen advocates for membership in all chain bonus programs to access club offers or special campaigns.
Then you have a much broader base of offers every month that you can take part in, says Johansson.
In the review of bonus programs, Matpriskollen has assumed that one shops for 8,000 kronor per month within the same chain. Ordinary price levels or campaign prices have not been investigated.
Based on the calculation example, Coop is the chain with the highest bonus, i.e., the most return, of around five percent.
When you reach 8,000 kronor per month, you earn a lot of points in this system that you can then use for bonus checks, says Johansson.
If you instead shop for 4,000 kronor per month at the chains, you get discounts of around 1-2 percent.
They're not huge levels, really, says Johansson.
Loyalty or extra prices?
What is really best for saving money – being loyal to one chain or going for campaign prices at several different ones? The answer from Matpriskollen is a bit of both.
The best is probably to be aware of where there are good campaign offers, says Johansson.
At the same time, with the example of Coop – if you're a small family and spend 8,000 kronor per month at Coop and you register so you get bonus points – you can save quite a lot of money.
It becomes a few thousand kronor per year.
Most consumers shop for the majority of their goods at one place – they don't have multiple stores to choose from.
That makes it extra important to be part of the bonus program, says Johansson.
Coop member: The bonus system has different levels, depending on earned points. At most, members can get 5 percent back in bonuses. The bonus can be converted to discount coupons or value checks.
At Ica, points are collected monthly. One krona gives one point. Bonus system based on different levels. Maximum bonus check of 150 kronor when purchasing 8,000 kronor or more per month.
In Hemköp club, points are collected over four-month periods. One krona gives one point. Bonus check is received at 2,500 points. Double points on ecological products.
City Gross prio gives a discount coupon of 5 or 10 percent – given a certain number of purchases and amounts.
Lidl plus bonus gives free coupons at certain achieved amounts each month. When purchasing over 3,000 kr, a bonus check of 40 kronor is given.
Willys plus has no separate return system for members, but membership means you get to take part in member offers.
