Smart Charge, the electric vehicle charging network developed by Sainsbury's and located at its stores, launched an offer in summer 2024 allowing drivers to collect Nectar points when charging, according to an interview with Patrick Dunne, Director of Property, Procurement and EV ventures at Sainsbury's1. The company describes it as the first EV charging service to offer customers loyalty benefits from a leading UK loyalty programme1.
The mechanism is set out in the interview: drivers input their Nectar card number once charging, by scanning the QR code on the charging screen, and the points are applied to their Nectar account1. No points rate, conversion value or expiry terms are given in the interview, and no launch date beyond "this summer" is stated1.
"We were proud to launch the Smart Charge and Nectar offer this summer, meaning you can collect Nectar points when charging with us. It was a huge milestone for us to be the first EV charging service to offer customers loyalty benefits from a leading UK loyalty programme."
The network's scale and specification are given in the same interview. Smart Charge reports over 65 sites and 560 charging bays across England, Wales and Scotland, having operated for just over a year, with around one site launched per week on average1. All sites use Kempower 150kW chargers, with many sites 300kW capable, and all bays offer ultra-rapid charging with contactless payment; many sites support ChadeMo charging1. The company states 100% of its sites have fully accessible bays and that it works to maintain 99%+ uptime, with a UK based customer support team available 24/71.
On electricity supply, the interview states that since January 2022, 100 per cent of Sainsbury's electricity has come from renewable sources, a combination of on-site solar PV, the company's own eight UK wind farms and other UK renewable sources1. The Smart Charge brand itself was launched at the beginning of 2024, with the first ultra-rapid hub opened in late summer 20231.
| Item | Detail as reported |
|---|---|
| Sites | Over 65 |
| Charging bays | 560 |
| Coverage | England, Wales and Scotland |
| Charger hardware | Kempower 150kW, many sites 300kW capable |
| Payment | Contactless |
| Loyalty | Nectar points, card number entered via QR code on screen |
Why it matters for households
Public charging is the part of running an EV that a household cannot control from home, and its cost and convenience sit outside the home electricity bill. A loyalty scheme attached to a supermarket charging network changes the effective price of a public top-up for households that already shop at Sainsbury's and collect Nectar points, though the interview does not state how many points are awarded per charge or what they are worth1. The wider relevance is the pattern: charging while doing a weekly shop, at a site on a routine route, rather than a dedicated stop. That is a different model from home charging, where a household's own tariff and, where present, solar and smart charging arrangements determine cost. For homes without off-street parking, public charging is the only option, and reward schemes are one of the few levers available to reduce what that costs. The interview does not report whether the Nectar offer applies at all sites or whether it interacts with any other tariff or app-based scheme1.
What happens next
The interview states there is "lots more we plan to do in this space" on the loyalty scheme, and that the next five years will bring further growth and improvements, without giving dates or specifics1. No further launch dates, site targets or scheme changes are reported1.
Sources2 cited
- Charged: 15 questions with... Smart Charge, electroverse.com
- Charged: 15 questions with... Smart Charge, electroverse.com