Nectar card points now redeemable in Sky Store: what can your rewards buy?

Around 18.5 million people with Nectar loyalty cards can now use their points to buy movies and box sets, after Nectar and Sky announced a partnership.

Nectar customers can redeem points to rent or purchase a range of TV and film releases on Sky, including Downton Abbey and Captain Marvel - even if they're not Sky TV customers.

Loyalty schemes allow you to earn points for shopping with a particular retailer, which can earn you rewards including money off your next shop. The Nectar scheme is linked with Sainsbury's, but its partnerships allow you to use your points in other ways as well.

Here, we look at how what the partnership means for Nectar cardholders and what they can buy with their Nectar card points.

How many Nectar card points do you need?

If you're a Nectar card customer, you can now swap your points for a Sky Store voucher using the Nectar website or Nectar app.

Vouchers can only be used on the Sky Store website or the Sky Store app, and you don't need to be subscribed to Sky TV to make a purchase.

Nectar cardholders can get the following vouchers:

That said, it may take a while to see rewards. With a Nectar card, shoppers earn one point for every full £1 they spend in-store or online, and one point for every litre of fuel purchased from Sainsbury's fuel stations.

This means that you'd have to spend over £1,000 in-store to earn a Sky Store voucher of just £5.99.

• Find out more:best and worst supermarket loyalty schemes

What can you buy in the Sky Store?

You can use your Sky Store vouchers to rent or purchase a range of titles.

The table below gives a snapshot of the types of movies and series you can buy and how many points you'll need.

_{Source: Sky Store, correct as of 16/09/2019 but subject to change}

Once you've made your purchases, you'll be able to watch them in the Sky Store on your laptop, mobile, tablet, NOW TV device or Chromecast.

You can also opt to download them to watch offline through the Sky Store player.

If you'd prefer to get a hard copy of your purchase, you can also choose you to have a DVD opt Blu-ray sent to you instead.

However, there is a catch. Once your voucher has been added to your Sky Store account, you'll only have 12 months to use your balance. Any unused balances won't be refunded, so keep track of how much credit you have and make sure you use it.

Is it worth getting the Nectar Credit Card to earn points?

One way to boost the points you earn is through the Nectar Credit Card.

Successful card applicants can get a 20,000 Nectar points bonus when you spend and charge £2,000 to your account in the first three months of your card membership. You can then earn two points for every full £1 spend on the Nectar Credit Card, which doubles the number of points you can earn just by collecting points on your Nectar card.

To really turbocharge your points, you can also earn a 5,000 points bonus for every friend that you refer to the Nectar Credit Card. The bonus caps at 90,000 points for the year.

Although this card offers a lot of ways to earn Nectar points, it comes with a hefty APR of 28.2%. You'll also have to pay an annual membership fee of £25 after the first year.

If you are a frequent shopper at Sainsbury's and other Nectar partners, and are able to clear your balance every month, this card could be a great way to maximise the points you earn.

However, it's really important to look at the terms of a credit card and whether it's suitable for your financial situation before taking out, rather focusing on the bonuses it offers.

• Find out more: credit card types explained

Are loyalty card schemes worth it?

Loyalty card schemes are designed to offer us rewards for shopping with particular retailers. As technology has advanced, stores have been able to offer discounts and deals that are more tailored to the way we shop.

If you're already a frequent Sainsbury's customer, the Sky Store voucher scheme could be a great way to watch the movies and shows you love. However, given the amount you need to spend before you can buy a voucher, it's unlikely to be worth paying more for Sainsbury's products to build up points if you'd usually buy cheaper products elsewhere.

Overall, whether any particular loyalty card scheme is worth going for will depend on your shopping habits.

For more information check out our analysis on whether supermarketloyalty cards are worth itand have a read of our guide on getting a great deal to help yousave money.