![Pret A Manger makes shock change to monthly coffee subscription cost Pret A Manger makes shock change to monthly coffee subscription cost](http://i0.wp.com/static.independent.co.uk/2024/08/28/16/Pret-a-Manger.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1)
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Subscribers, who were previously notified of an impending price hike from £5 to £10 per month, have now been informed that the fee will remain at its current level.
In a message to subscribers, Pret emphasised its commitment to “high-quality, organic coffee and barista-made drinks at fantastic value”, saying that Club Pret members would “continue to enjoy great savings on up to five barista-made drinks per day”.
This announcement marks a U-turn for the sandwich chain, which had initially overhauled its annual £360 subscription in July 2024, replacing it with a £10 monthly fee for 50 per cent off up to five coffees daily.
A subsequent 50 per cent off promotional deal, bringing the monthly cost down to £5, was set to expire on 31 March, with the price reverting to £10. However, Pret has now opted to maintain the lower price point.
The chain also removed a 20 per cent discount on food for subscribers to end dual pricing.
Under the old deal that lasted for almost four years, Club Pret membership offered up to five barista-made drinks daily for a monthly fee of £30.
In March 2024, the chain implemented a crackdown to prevent Club Pret subscribers from sharing free drinks with others.
Some customers were exploiting loopholes by sharing subscription benefits, prompting the changes.
The announcement followed coffee bean prices reaching an all-time high of £3,356 a tonne last week, amid poor harvests, particularly in the major production areas of Brazil and Vietnam, geopolitical conflict and supply chain disruption.
Brazil was hit by record-breaking drought in 2024 and Vietnam was badly affected by Typhoon Yagi. Brazil supplies almost half of the world’s Arabica, the beans favoured by coffee shop chains.
Prices for premium coffee beans surged by roughly 40 per cent in 2024, according to Bloomberg, while there has also been a shortage of the cheaper robusta beans, which are used to make instant coffee.
Retailers like JM Smucker, the company behind brands like Dunkin’ and Café Bustelo, has raised prices twice in recent months to offset the increase in green coffee costs.