Sainsbury’s is facing boycott threats after ditching a scheme which could leave customers out of pocket by £50.

The supermarket cancelled its annual “Double Up” scheme, where shoppers could double up to 10,000 Nectar points, just weeks before it was due to start.

The programme’s cancellation was revealed by the Skint Dad blog, whose co-founder Naomi Wallis called the decision “disappointing”.

“Many shoppers save their points through the year to use towards Christmas, and will now miss out,” she said.

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A Sainsbury’s spokesperson told The Express: “Fewer customers have been using Double Up over the last few years and so it’s only benefitted a small minority of our customers.

“We know some people will be disappointed to see it go, but we hope more customers will be able to take advantage of our new My Nectar Prices offer.”

Although the Big 4 grocer claimed the new offer could save up to £200 a year, it has been hit by a furious backlash.

One customer complained: “Why not announce it in January so we don’t waste all year saving!?”

Another agreed there had been “minimal warning” and issued a “hearty “f*** you” to Sainsbury’s, claiming people “rely” on the scheme for Christmas shopping.

One man from East Kilbride said he had shopped online for the Nectar points when his local Sainsbury’s closed.

“Will be going elsewhere now,” he warned.

So @sainsburys is scraping double up this year after closing my local store we were shopping online because of nectar points. Will be going else where now

— joe mcdowall (@joemcd64) September 28, 2021

@nectar how disappointing that you announce that double up isn’t running this year just a couple of weeks before it is due to start. Why not announce it in January so we don’t waste all year saving!? Won’t be shopping at Sainsbury’s from now on.

— Craig (@craigtos) September 28, 2021

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