The Nectar Card has become the most popular loyalty card in the UK with 16.8m people now using the card.

Over one million users signed up to Nectar in the last 12 months and there are now more people with a Nectar Card than with a Tesco Clubcard or Boots Advantage card.

Sainsbury’s and 14 partners including over 400 online retailers participate in the Nectar scheme.

Sainsbury’s customer director Gwyn Burr said: “Customers are increasingly ‘savvy’ and they shop around for the best value for money they can find. At Sainsbury’s we have lowered prices, offer great value promotions and sell high quality, ethically sourced products – and we reward our customers’ loyalty with Nectar points and money-saving coupons as well.”

In September Sainsbury’s enhanced its loyalty offer with its ‘coupon at the till’ initiative. It was its biggest loyalty push since Nectar launched in 2002.