Sainsbury’s Fuel Cards: Review, Prices and How They Compare?

Since Sainsbury’s was founded in 1869 in London by John James Sainsbury, Sainsbury’s has become the second-largest food retailer in the UK, totalling 605 supermarkets and 807 convenience stores.

As of 2015, however, they’ve partnered with fuelGenie, a popular fuel card provider. For long-time Sainsbury’s customers, you can still enjoy all the primary benefits, such as collecting Nectar points, in conjunction with additional features.  

Other reliable Sainsbury fuel card options include Allstar Supermarket and Fuelmate Supermarket.

Regardless of which card provider you choose, you can look forward to:

• 24-hour online account management
• PIN security protection
• Admin control & card configuration
• Interest-free credit
• HMRC-approved invoices
• Fuel access to Morrisons and Tesco

In this review, you’ll find out everything you need to know about Sainsbury’s fuel card, including what they are, where you can find them and customer reviews.

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Let’s take a further look as to which Sainsbury’s card is right for you:

In this guide you will find:

Who is Sainsbury’s?

Sainsbury’s is not only one of the leading supermarkets in the whole of the UK, but they also acquired other household names such as Argos, Tu and Habitat to name a few.

This means that while many associate the name with groceries, customers can also benefit from access to all sorts of household goods, clothing, equipment and even fuelcards.

With fuel cards that offer no hidden fees and supermarket loyalty points to collect, there are many benefits to using the Sainsbury’s fuel card – let’s take a closer look below.

Sainsbury’s Cost and Fees

FuelGenie

Although some providers have received complaints about charging customers inflated and hidden fees, fuelGenie promises that you only pay for the fuel you purchase and nothing more.

What’s more, all their card costs and fees, are laid out clearly on their website, so you know up front what you’ll be paying.

There are no set-up, annual or monthly fees, nor are there any per transaction charges. You also have access to unlimited fuel cards free of charge.

Fuelmate

Fuelmate is slightly less upfront about what fees they do and doesn’t charge, but they likewise guarantee that there are no associated per transactions fees or hidden fees.

You do pay £6 per card per year, as well as an administration fee of 1% of your total invoice.

Managing your costs is also a lot easier with their single HMRC VAT-approved invoice, which you’ll receive once a week, consolidating all the transactions charged on your account.

This is beneficial for businesses and organisations that need to plan their spending on a weekly basis.

Allstar

With over 3,000 locations throughout the UK, Allstar is undoubtedly one of the UK’s biggest players when it comes to the fuel card industry.

Theirs is also the only card that gives you access to all four major supermarket chains, making it one of the most widely accepted of all brands. Unsurprisingly, though, that kind of expansive network and brand name status is going to be the cheapest option, either.

That said, Allstar is very upfront about their pricing.

All you have to do is request a breakdown of their fee tariff, which you can find here (PDF of tariff) While their annual fee varies on a case-by-case basis, you can expect to pay a per transaction fee, a convenience charge, and to meet a monthly minimum of £100.

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Sainsbury’s Core Services

Regardless of which provider you choose, you can look forward to these key features:

• • 24-hour online account management, putting you in the driver’s seat of your fuel card account, so you can manage your settings, cancel and order new cards, check and make payments, etc.
  • PIN security protection, which bolsters your cards and drivers against fraud.
  • Admin control & card configuration, so you can manage and set purchase limits for your drivers
  • Interest-free credit* on payments
  • HMRC-approved invoices, which will help you cut down on administration time and keep you up to date on your fuel purchases

• Fuel access to Morrisons and Tesco, so you’ll never have to worry about your drivers having to make lengthy detours in search of affordable fuel

*Subject to credit status

FuelGenie

With fuelGenie, you have a bevvy of features balanced by affordability. Most providers wouldn’t hesitate to charge customers for all fuelGenie offers, but their services come included.

While fuelGenie offers roughly the same services as its competitors, what makes it stand out is its straight-forward pricing system and contract flexibility. If you don’t require fancy features, then fuelGenie’s cost-effective packaging might be worth the trade-off.

Fuelmate

Along with the standard offerings listed above, Fuelmate provides free price notifications, so you’ll always know how much you’re going to pay before you fuel up.

Their free locator tools also help you find the nearest garages and filling stations.

For an additional fee and rolling six-month term contract, you can also use their signature JourneyTrack App, which will allow you to capture mileage and manage your fuel expenses more efficiently.

Lastly, you can log in to your account and print off any previous receipts free of charge should you happen to misplace any invoices.

Allstar

Allstar’s claim-to-fame over the largest nationwide network is a selling point all on its own. It’s also the only fuel card accepted at all four major supermarket chains, including Sainsbury’s, without any additional surcharges.

Like Fuelmate, Allstar also provides you with free weekly price notifications.

Their exclusive smartphone app and Nav download also let your drivers plan their routes ahead of time, which ultimately saves you cost on fuel and travel time.

Always ahead of the curve, Allstar cardholders can refuel at ITM Power stations if using hydrogen fuel-based vehicles.

Finally, you can look forward to up to 30% discounts on repair and maintenance services.

Sainsbury’s Contract Length & Fees

The contract terms at fuelGenie are very straightforward. With no monthly minimum and no early termination fee, you can leave and switch fuel card providers whenever you so choose. fuelGenie will also help you migrate your account details free of charge.

Due to the bespoke nature of Fuelmate’s operations, a contract agreement could vary from customer to customer, and will most likely be determined by the scope and size of your fleet, the average you spend per month on fuel, as well as your credit history.

For their supermarket fuel card, though, there is no contract, and as such, there’s no early termination fee, either.

While they do charge an annual fee of £6 per card, which you pay upon joining, you can switch card types or switch to another provider at any time without any additional cost. Account migration is free, as well.

According to a representative of Allstar’s in-house sales team, the Supermarket card doesn’t require a fixed contract term, though you have the option of signing a contract if you agree to an addendum with your account manager.

There are no early termination fees, though your account will incur a £75 migration fee per card should you decide to switch to another fuel card brand.

Sainsbury’s Reviews

Normally customer reviews featured on a business’s website should be taken with a grain of salt, as companies will cherry-pick the ones that speak in their favour, but fuelGenie’s compilation customer testimonials are extensive and from verified clients.

It also shows that fuelGenie services a range of clients, including SMEs, non-profits, and organisations.

The reviews are very positive and praise fuelGenie for its reliable customer support team and affordability.

Sainsbury’s Customer Support

While fuelGenie does not provide a dedicated account manager for its customers, it does provide phone and online support, available Monday through Friday during normal business hours.

There isn’t, unfortunately, customer service available on the weekends.

There also doesn’t appear to be separate lines for sales and support, meaning you might be passed around a bit before you’re able to speak to the appropriate representative.

Comparing Sainsbury’s

Let’s take a look at these three providers side by side:

Who Should Use Sainsbury’s?

If you’re looking for a fleet seeking reliable local and regional coverage, Sainsbury’s is an excellent site for your drivers to refuel.

Supermarket fuel sometimes gets a bad rap for being of ‘lower quality’, but this is more rumour than anything else.

The only difference between branded fuel and supermarket fuel is that bigger companies’ fuel includes additives designed to improve the vehicle’s performance.

Refuelling at Sainsbury’s allows you to purchase fuel at competitively priced rates, while also collecting loyalty points that drivers can use in the future. Sainsbury’s are also conveniently located throughout the UK.

Otherwise, if Sainsbury’s network fulfils your fleet requirements, you might want to consider becoming a loyalty member.

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Conclusion

Whether you decide to go with fuelGenie, Fuelmate, or Allstar, will ultimately depend on the size and scope of your fleet and your organisation’s individual needs.

Fuelmate’s bespoke approach will appeal to a variety of fleet types and sizes, while fuelGenie is likely to benefit mostly locally-operated organisations.

Allstar is a smart option for larger fleets or those looking to expand in the future who don’t mind paying additional fees in exchange for top-of-the-line features.

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