Sainsbury’s will this week launch its biggest ever Nectar points giveaway with the launch of a triple points event from Friday 28 to Monday 31 May.

The four-day bonanza will see shoppers awarded up to one billion Nectar points, equating to around £5m.

This marks the first time the retailer has undertaken a triple points giveaway.

The retailer said the number of people with a Nectar loyalty card has increased by over one million in the last 12 months to make the Nectar scheme the largest in the UK, with 16.8 million people.

Loyalty schemes have become a key part of Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s armoury over the last year, which many have said have hit rivals such as Asda.

Gwyn Burr, Sainsbury’s customer director, said: “This is our biggest ever Nectar points giveaway and it’s our way of rewarding Sainsbury’s Nectar shoppers for their loyalty. Many of our customers are facing exceptional financial pressures at the moment and we want to do everything we can to help ease that burden, with both money saving offers and promotions as well as free reward points which puts money back into customers pockets.”