Pret to refund customers after 'terrible' changes to subscription app
The new rules came into effect last month and stop customers from sharing their free perks.
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Pret A Manger has been forced to refund some of its subscribers following technical issues since the crackdown of subscription sharing.
The introduction of the crackdown means that subscribers wanting to access their Club Pret perk of up to five barista-made drinks daily must now log in to the app instead of using the QR code in their Apple Wallet or on a smart watch.
The new rules came into effect last month and stop customers from sharing their free perks.
Consumers have criticised the app as “terrible” and threatened to go elsewhere for their daily coffee.
Pret has given refunds to some customers who have struggled to log in since the crackdown changes came into effect.
The sandwich chain has explained their team has either given refunds or applied the Club Pret discount as normal to any customers who have "genuinely struggled to log in.”
The new rules came into effect last month and stop customers from sharing their free perks.
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One subscriber said on X: “The @Pret app is so useless. It is giving me rage.”
Another user said: “Pret moving their subscription from a wallet pay to an app based thing is a bad decision.
"Just a bit more logistical work but the UX is just annoying.”
Those affected have now been refunded since the changes took place.
The subscription service was introduced in 2020, but this was rebranded to Club Pret in 2023.
Club Pret allows customers to get five barista-made drinks a day and receive 20 per cent discount on food.
It now costs £30 a month to join - meaning people customers will save money if they order 10 cappuccinos ( currently £3.30 each) in one month from a high-street store.
A spokesman for Pret said: “We recently updated how Club Pret subscribers access their QR codes as we continue to invest in our digital offer for customers. Live QR codes are now available to all subscribers exclusively via the Pret App.
“Our app is currently functioning as normal, but some customers may still need to complete the login process to access their new codes. Anyone with problems accessing their code can contact our customer support team who will be happy to help.”
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Experts have also said that customers who have been unable to use their subscriptions are entitled to a refund under consumer rights law.
Gary Rycroft, a partner at Joseph A. Jones & Co said: “If Pret subscribers cannot access their QR this is in effect a suspension of their Pret subscription and on that basis this should result in a refund for the period of suspension.
“Even if this was not explicit in the T&Cs this is the correct outcome under principles of contract law."