Is this discrimination?

"For just £4.99, members of the Blue Light community can register for 2-years access to more than 15,000 discounts from large national retailers to local businesses across categories such as holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones, and many more." These discounts are available both online & off and just because some are not suitable or convenient to you personally does not mean you cannot take advantage of some of the others so no it is not discrimination.

I have a blue light card as a retired NHS employee. Its not free, there's a £5 fee which covers 2 years membership. Mine has paid for itself many times over in a short space of time. Hundreds of companies sign up to it and many are online deals only for example FatFace, Adidas, JD Sports etc. I use mine at Asda to stock up on more expensive items like coffee & butter though sadly it can't be used on wine. I'd agree with others OP, no, its not discrimination. You simply need to get yourself there to take advantage of the discount.

Hetty58 and Alverstone25 thank you 🙂

The definition:
Blue Light Card is a nationally recognised scheme which provides workers in the NHS, emergency services, social care sector and the armed forces with a range of discounts. Asda has extended its discount for card holders to acknowledge the amazing work they do each day to keep everyone safe.

There is a warehouse near me, which sells food, nearing it's sell by date and you need to be in those professions to be able to access it.
I may be wrong, but I think HMI Customs, prison offers and those, who are retired from those professions are eligible.

Does that mean that those professions are better valued than others?

I see how it’s annoying Alverstone25 but just one of those things, not discrimination.
Stores like getting shoppers through the door then they buy more by browsing round.
See what else you can use your card for?

No its not discrimination

Also, the card is accepted by many online retailers

V3ra... it’s Asda.

Can’t see how it would be open to abuse as my card number would be linked to my name and address which will be where the shopping would be delivered to.

Surely this to increase footfall which although may lose some profit for a shop could encourage the idea of shopping before the web. At least the shop pays rent and taxes in this country whereas online encourages money going overseas.

V3ra, I expect it's Asda - but 10% isn't that much anyway. It might only compensate for petrol or travel expenses to shop instore. If you can't take advantage of a discount, it's not their fault. The blue light card is useful for other offers and discounts, though:

www.bluelightcard.co.uk/

www.bluelightcard.co.uk/

The simple answer surely is that it is not available online due to the high likelihood of abuse. No it isn't discrimination

Can I ask which supermarket this is please?

no grounds for complaint imo.
don't you know anybody with a car who could take you and get the 10% off their shopping also.

Iceland have 10% off on a Tuesday for Over 60s. Not available online either. I understand this. People shopping in the store generally don't buy large amounts and have to show proof of age. Possibly open to misuse of the offer if shopping done online.

I wouldn't call it discrimination because online shopping is a bonus service that already saves customers money in travel expenses etc and already runs as a loss to supermarkets (or so I've read).

If the service made even less money many may lose access to deliveries if it were stopped.

I understand though that when a physical problem prevents you from accessing something it must be frustrating.

I hope the offer isn’t withdrawn as a result, as it may be a lifeline to those who can access it.

Interesting reply’s...thank you.

The blue light card has been around since 2008, I came across it only three years ago after working in Social Care for over 25 years.

After discussing with colleagues that the card is not valid for online shoppers, I was encouraged to challenge this with the Supermarket head office which I did. They thanked me for bringing this to their attention, sent me a copy of the terms and conditions and sent my email to another department... will hopefully hear from them soon.

If you gave money to someone wearing a brown coat sitting on the pavement outside Asda, would you be discriminating against someone in a green anorak outside Marks and Sparks a mile away?

There are many ways for you to get to your supermarket and take advantage of that offer - bus, taxi, lift from neighbour or family, trek there on foot - just as there are ways that the bloke in the green anorak could have been outside Marks and Sparks when you were being generous there. But they weren't there, and you weren't at the supermarket instore shopping.

Commercial companies aren’t charitable. It’s a mistake to think they do anything other than follow profit. Even what appear to be charitable enterprises will be with a motive of profit, like becoming more popular, being supported etc.

So, yes it’s a targeted offer, designed to increase their profits. I’m afraid you’ve got it muddled up with accessing a privilege.

I don't mind if a company decides to offer discount to blue haired women with a tattoo of Dirty Den on their left thigh. That is not discriminating against green haired men with tattoos of Angie on their right bicep - it's just a targeted offer.

Unless a group is covered by the Equality Act, it is not discrimination.

I hate the discrimination of thinking one profession is more important and deserving than another.

Whoops answered my own question I know now
No I don’t think your being discriminated against I m an ex NHS worker and never even knew I could have had one (were they around 10 years ago? ) so I expect there are thousands like us that don’t have that privilege just one of those things

What’s a blue light card ?

I had never heard of a Blue Light Card.
No it is not discrimination.
Those of us who are not entitled to it could argue that it is discrimination.
Of course I don't.

Maybe it can be abused online, whatever the reason they don't have to give anything just be grateful that it helps some people.