Pret has announced some big changes to its coffee subscription service, including a price increase, reports The Manc.
The high street coffee chain is rebranding the service to 'Club Pret', with new perks for customers but also a new monthly fee.
A subscription to Pret, which includes five barista-made drinks per day, will now set you back £30 a month, which current members say is 'pure greed'.
The service was initially launched at £20, then jumped up to £25 in February last year.
An email sent to subscribers this morning outlined that changes that are coming as part of Club Pret.
The coffee chain is introducing a members-only discount for the first time with Club Pret, with 10% off food.
They added: "We've also listened to your feedback on iced drinks, so today we're introducing a new, bigger range of iced drink - Pret Coolers, which replace the old range of smoothies and frappes and will no longer be in shops from 5th June.
"We've also installed new ice machines, so you'll be able to get your iced coffees and Pret Coolers in over 90% of our shops. In July we'll also be adding even more choice with Pret Shakes."
The price hike will come into action from 5 June onwards, whenever each customer's billing cycle falls.
The new benefits are available straight away.
Explaining the extra £5 per month, Pret said: "No business wants to raise prices, but of the new subscription price, around £1 will cover increasing ingredient prices, £2 will go towards Pret team pay, and around £2 will help with rising energy costs.
"Over the past year, we've given a lot of thought to how we can keep giving back to our most loyal customers. These are tough times, and we want to do the right thing for the people who matter most to Pret: you, our customers, and our amazing team members who serve you every day.
"Creating Club Pret is our way of saying thank you to everyone who keeps choosing Pret."
Pret. Credit: Unsplash
Fans have been quick to voice their thoughts on social media (as usual).
One person said: "I hate it when brands try to hide a price hike. It’s dishonest. Cancelling my subscription."
Another wrote: "It's gone from £20 to £25 and now to £30 in a matter of months - it's not worth it."
Someone else joked: "Pret subscription just went up to £30, not one minute of reprieve from the #cozzielives."
One user on Twitter said: "Cancelled my subscription this morning. Without much hesitation as quality of Pret drinks and food has gone downhill recently. This hike is pure greed. Better options and more value elsewhere."
And someone else posted: "£30 pret subscription SEE YA BABE ain't no way I'm paying that for sh*t coffee. Two price increases in a year? Come off it. This was their reasoning LOL tone deaf."
Featured image: Pret
Shopping
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Aldi has confirmed it'll be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK - but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues 'for all their hard work' throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That's not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a 'special' 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it's important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to 'ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day'
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year's Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: "Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
"Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
"We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them."
Featured Image - Aldi UK
Shopping
Retail giant Uniqlo delays opening date for new Leeds store
Clementine Hall
It's official, Uniqlo is making its way to Leeds. Well, it's about time isn't it?
You may remember last June that murmurings of Uniqlo opening in Leeds were happening.
The news spread after planning documents appeared for new ‘Uniqlo’ signage on the Store House building on Briggate.
We've been keeping our fingers crossed that the news was actually true, and it is.
Uniqlo themselves have confirmed that three new stores will be popping up across the UK over the next two years, with one of them being right here in Leeds.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Their first store of the roll-out opened in Birmingham's Bullring, followed by a new store in Bristol this year.
Leeds was also meant to open this year, but unfortunately, Uniqlo has announced things are delayed and its opening will be pushed into 2027.
The Leeds store will be 1,100 square metres and will be located on Briggate in the old House of Fraser site.
CGI mockups from firms Thirty One Design and Ink Associates include the glass fronted store with Uniqlo’s signature red signage hanging above the door and off the building.
These will be made from sheet metal with a “sprayed finish” – sounds pretty swanky if you ask us.
Uniqlo UK COO Alessandro Dudech stated: "Uniqlo remains committed to strengthening its presence within the UK retail sector by expanding both our physical store network and ecommerce capabilities nationwide.
"As part of this strategic initiative, we look forward to introducing Uniqlo to the communities and visitors in the North of England, at the new Leeds location and simultaneously reaching customers in the South West in Bristol's Cabot Circus.".
Uniqlo is known for its affordable and minimalist clothing, stocking everything from raincoats and puffer jackets to jeans and a wide range of accessories.
We’ll keep you updated on the timeframe, as to be honest we’re just as excited as you are to be welcoming Uniqlo to the high street.
The Hoot -
26th April 2023 
