Green loyalty scheme to be launched across UK
A national sustainable loyalty scheme is to be launched in the UK, offering customers reward points for making green purchasing choices.
The scheme CEO is ex Air Miles CEO Jude Thorne, with an impressive board line up of environmental thinkers and loyalty experts.
The scheme will operate nationally both online through its www.myice.com website and using a mag-stripe card and the retailer EPOS system.
Using a similar model to that operated by the Barclaycard Freedom scheme, the Ice loyalty programme will be run by its management company, in terms of network, points management, customer service and rewards redemption, while the retailer will pay commission on every purchase made using an ICE card.
As with schemes such as Airmiles and Nectar, the amount of Ice credits the consumer earns per £ spent varies by retailer, and ranges from 1 credit per £1 up to 12 per £1.
An impressive list of partners have already signed up to the scheme, including Eurostar, Green & Blacks Direct, Green Tomato Cars, Eat Sleep Live, and a host of farm shops across Britain.
On the website, there are sections including drink, travel, home & garden, home energy, fashion & clothing, pets, gifts, a green building store, an eco taxi and skincare.
CEO Jude Thorne told Loyalty Magazine that there is no limit to the number of companies that can join the scheme as partners, as long as their green credentials are verified by suitable bodies such as the Soil Association or the Forestry Commission as being sustainable and environmentally friendly. She said that she would not discount the possibility of major retailers, including supermarkets joining the scheme.
She added that consumers could make choices about every product by viewing its ‘green credentials’ on the web site, and making their own choices as to its sustainability.
ICE credits never expire, but after three years, if they have not been redeemed, they will be used for a carbon offset programme.
An exclusive interview with Jude Thorne, CEO of ICE will be published on www.loyaltymagazine.com next week.