Pret A Manger has some 450 stores across the UK which offer free drinks to customers who pay to be part of “Club Pret”.
The monthly subscription entitles coffee lovers to order five free drinks a day for the sum of £30 a month.
An additional 20 percent off the entire menu is another perk offered to subscribers, all through a single tap of their phone at the till.
Fans of the coffee brand could access their unique code by adding it to their Google or Apple wallet, or simply taking a screenshot.
But now, subscribers have to log in through the Pret A Manger app every time they claim the offer in a crackdown on people sharing the subscription with friends.
The new requirement appears to be a way for the company to prevent customers from sharing their subscriptions with non-subscribers, which is currently banned under Pret’s terms and conditions.
Savvy coffee fans have been wise to the so-called “loophole” which allows multiple people to benefit from just one monthly subscription.
As reported by the Telegraph, a Reddit user’s post on the forum r/accountingsharing last year said: “Would anyone want to share a rolling one-month Pret Coffee subscription? I used to do this with four friends but they’ve decided to cancel.”
A Pret spokesperson said: “We’re updating how Club Pret subscribers access their QR codes as we continue to invest in our digital offer for customers. QR Codes will now be available exclusively via the Pret App and can no longer be added to Apple or Google wallets.
“Live QR codes will be reissued to all subscribers. This will deliver a more complete digital experience, so that the Pret App becomes the main digital touchpoint for our customers. We encourage any customers that need further support to contact our customer service team.”
Pret revealed the new policy to customers earlier this week, stating that they would need to log in to its app to access a QR code from March 18, and will no longer be able to add subscriptions to their Apple or Google wallet.
News of the imminent change has sparked frustration among paying users on social media, who argued using the subscription would be less convenient.
One Person took to X, formerly Twitter to say: “@Pret what is the thinking about changing the subscription QR code so it can’t be added to Apple Wallet, so has to be accessed from the app. This seems a huge backward step!”
Another chimed: “@Pret Just a piece of feedback. I just received the email advising you are removing support for Apple Wallet. As much as I love my subscription, having to rely on an App to keep me logged in and load to show a barcode instead of hugely convenient Apple Wallet integration is a HUGE step backwards. It’s making me re-consider my subscription in the first place.”
A third X user likened the move to Netflix, which enforced a similar clampdown on account sharing last year. They wrote: “Pret subscription has gone ahead and done a Netflix on us… given my last cappuccino had literally no foam it might be time to give this up.”
