How ‘Britain's most generous loyalty scheme' came unstuck
When Nick Thomas and his wife took out a health and life insurance policy with Vitality four years ago, like millions of others they were drawn to the generous rewards scheme.
Unlike a traditional rewards programme where repeated spending eventually leads to a perk, Vitality rewarded members for having healthy lifestyle habits.
Walking 7,000 steps a day, going to the gym or completing a Parkrun all earned points offering lucrative rewards for Thomas and his family such as free cinema tickets, an Amazon Prime membership and bags of Caffe Nero coffee.
The scheme was a success on both sides. For Vitality, healthier customers claimed less while members benefited from better health and significant savings in the form of numerous perks.
Thomas, like countless other members The Telegraph has spoken to, has nothing but praise for Vitality. 'It's been brilliant. I've encouraged other people to sign up because I've been so impressed with it all.'
But all of that changed last month when Vitality decided to 'level up' its reward programme.
Rather than earning rewards solely for healthy lifestyle choices, the insurance provider introduced a game whereby members would have to find a cartoon dachshund called 'Stanley' hidden behind 16 bushes. The monthly rewards they now earn are dependent on how many 'Stanleys' they find.
The disapproval among Vitality's 1.9 million members has been swift. Online message boards reveal an avalanche of complaints about the 'silly game'. Facebook groups show members venting their frustrations and trying to share tips about how to find the hidden dogs.
Criticisms range from members saying they feel infantilised to more serious accusations that the game amounts to a form of gambling, and is at odds with the company's aim to reward 'being active, eating healthily and maintaining good mental health'.
Vitality strongly disputes the allegation that it amounts to gambling, as members do not stake money while playing. Martyn James, a consumer expert, says while it is not a form of gambling, it is part of a growing trend of 'gamification' – the process of using gameplay to make tasks more attractive and encourage engagement.
He says: 'Unless Vitality can demonstrate that the odds show that people are getting the same amount of rewards then it's a smokescreen to hide the fact that benefits have been removed.
'That's before you consider the juvenile factor. It's fine if you are younger and don't mind hunting for a cartoon dog but as a grown adult, I find that quite patronising. I don't mind spinning a wheel every now and then, but you have to question what purpose does this serve?'
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