Saving with AH koopzegels to take twice as long as stamp prices rise

Albert Heijn has announced that from September 7, shoppers will need to spend double the amount for a savings stamp (koopzegel). Instead of saving 10 cents for every 1 euro you spend, you will now only save 10 cents for every 2 euros spent at the Dutch supermarket. 

Changes to Albert Heijn savings programme 

AH koopzegels are essentially the supermarket chain’s version of a savings programme. Currently, people who opt in to the scheme automatically buy a koopzegel worth 10 cents for every 1 euro spent on products. For example, if the basket of items a shopper is purchasing comes to 20 euros, they will actually pay 22 euros at checkout and receive 20 stamps.

Shoppers who have AH Premium can purchase a 10-cent koopzegel for every 50 cents they spend. To fill a koopzegel booklet, you need 490 stamps, which is worth 49 euros. With a completed stamp sheet, you get 52 euros back that you can use to purchase items in store or get paid out into your bank account. So you essentially save 3 euros in interest. 

However, from September 7, AH customers will receive one koopzegel worth 10 cents for every 2 euros spent on groceries and premium members will get one stamp for every 1 euro spent. This means it will take longer to fill a stamp sheet, reports NU.nl.

AH to have worst savings return of all Dutch supermarkets

"Albert Heijn probably wants to save costs on this programme and has therefore decided to change the rules," researcher of supermarket loyalty programmes Nick Bombaij told RTL Nieuws, believing that the scheme is probably no longer effective for the Dutch supermarket. So instead of completely scrapping the programme, the chain is upping the price.

While AH claims that the koopzegel programme has an interest rate of 6 percent, Bombaij calculates the actual rate to be 0,6 percent, “because you spent a total of 539 euros” - 490 euros on groceries and 49 euros on the stamps. Compared to other supermarket saving programmes, Albert Heijn currently offers an average interest rate. "At Plus, the interest is about 1 percent, at Jumbo 0,4 percent," said Bombaij.

Once the price goes up next month, consumers will have to spend 1.029 euros for 3 euros in interest, which means the interest rate at AH will drop to 0,3 percent. "This makes Albert Heijn the supermarket with the worst return of all Dutch supermarkets with savings stamp programmes."

Uproar over AH koopzegel changes

In 2023, around 2 million residents in the Netherlands collected koopzegels, many of whom are upset about the upcoming change up and threatening to cancel their premium subscriptions.

The supermarket chain understands the reactions but is continuing with its plans. "The koopszegels programme has been a beloved programme among many of our customers for more than 70 years," a spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. 

"At the same time, we see that customers also like to save or receive benefits in other ways." This refers to other promotions for outings and products, loyalty programmes and games in the AH app, which the Dutch supermarket wants to expand.