To be fed up with all the NHS discount codes?

[YouDoYouHun]

Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for NHS workers on the front line dealing with the pandemic, that's not what this thread is about, but AIBU to have had enough of shops and businesses offering NHS discount only? Generally, this isn't a new thing and has been around since last March, but this past week or so I have received quite a few emails from various shops/businesses (I won't name) including national and local, offering discount codes for NHS staff only. Great, they deserve it....but what about everyone else too? What about supermarket workers? Council workers? Labourers? Delivery drivers? The postal service? What about the people who have lost their jobs too? Granted, disposable income will be low to non existent so frivolous online shopping purchases will likely not be high on the priority list, but wouldn't that be more reason to offer a discount? for people struggling? How about a pandemic discount code so everyone can enjoy a treat rather than just singling out the NHS and sending the message that unless you work for the NHS you are undeserving?

The NHS also covers a huge variation of roles and I don't particularly find it fair that Mary who works behind the scenes gets the discount just because she is an NHS employee but Barry who works in a supermarket doesn't receive any discount because he doesn't work for the NHS? Not the greatest example, but you hopefully get my point.

This isn't meant to sound grabby. It's not about the discount. Shops/businesses are struggling too and don't have to offer any discount at all. My point is, if there is going to be a discount offered, why effectively invalidate other professions by sending the message that they haven't worked hard enough/suffererd enough to receive the 'prize' that is a discount code?

YABU - what are you talking about? Only NHS employees should receive discounts.

YANBU - This pandemic has affected us all in different ways and we shouldn't be made to feel any less important because we don't work for the NHS.

@YouDoYouHun YABU. NHS staff are on the front lines of this battling to save lives. I can’t imagine the stress they are under. Yes shop workers face a higher risk of contracting the virus but they’re not dealing with the stress NHS workers are and some of the stories of patients dying are harrowing. They deserve a perk and boost of morale that comes from knowing businesses and companies appreciate what they are doing and are trying to do a nice thing back.

Just because some people in the NHS have a cushy number doesn’t mean either everyone should get a discount (odd and not a discount then just stores cutting their prices) or no NHS staff should. If it was extended to all key workers also no doubt you would be ok here whining your neighbour just sits in a cosy back office in Morrison’s doing the accounts yet now gets discounts as a key worker.

It’s a nice gesture for the NHS

You do know that these companies aren’t being altruistic, right? They want to increase their turnover, the NHS employs a lot of people, and they want others to view them positively. They are trying to make more money. They know some people will see this and think it’s good of them and decide to buy.

I’ve only used my NHS role once to get a discount - I was about to sign up to Dermatica and saw they were offering three months free (instead of one month) to NHS employees. You had to sign up with your NHS email address and the discount was then automatically applied. How would they offer this without being able to verify employers so easily?

I remember seeing ads for period pants on Facebook offering a “key worker discount” and the code was on the ad. The comments were full of people asking if they qualified or saying they’re not a key worker but can they use it anyway as they’ve lost their job etc etc. The company didn’t care, the discount code was made available - they just wanted to sell more pants and to appear caring.

If you said any user who’s been impacted by COVID can use this code, they might as well just put a sale on across the site.

The problem with companies offering some groups discounts - blue light, students, civil service, national trust members, staff, OAPs - is that the cost needs to be covered by everyone else; it’s really differential pricing.

It’s a marketing gimmick designed to make the market less efficient for consumers (they don’t choose the shops offering best value to everyone) and more profitable for companies.

I make the assumption that if a company offers 10% off for students (to pick a less emotive example) they are overcharging me, and take my business elsewhere.

I completely support paying frontline staff more money and would support a COVID bonus for them,

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Yeah. They've always been here, but the fact that everywhere is now "nhs staff are heroes!!!" and pushes discounts for them, while totally ignoring others who absolutely deserve recognition is quite off. And it's not just discounts! It's everything. Yes, the job is tough, but the obsession with nhs and it's workers is unreal in England. Unreal. It's a basic healthcare system with staff working hard. Like on MANY other countries. Where they appreciate a nd respect them but don't obsess over them.

The clap for heroes thing originated in Italy I think. Plenty of other countries appreciating their health services right now.

Front line workers wouldn’t be able to function properly without the ‘Behind the scenes nhs workers’ though ?!
Every one plays their part...

I used to work in retail. As well as discounts to nhs, we gave discounts to army/RAF/navy, police, scouts/guides, D of E, ramblers etc.

It’s virtue signalling by companies I guess. Doesn’t have the same affect if they say ‘look at us, giving supermarket workers discounts...’ also its not just frontline staff who benefit. My dsis works in admin for NHS, in a hospital that’s virtually been untouched during the pandemic, but takes advantage of the discounts and queue jumping (yes, queue jumping still happens). The NHS does a great job, most of the time, but a lot of businesses and workers have been affected, and its kind of a kick in the teeth for only one section of society to be offered these perks. At least hospitals can enforce government guidelines and rules with little resistance. Supermarkets and banks have to face verbal abuse on a daily basis from customers refusing to follow the rules.

YABU.

Yes everyone has done their bit but NHS staff have put themselves at the greatest risk, providing hands on care without the threat of walk outs, strikes etc, often at the expense of their own mental health.

It doesn't matter anyway as loads of places always offered NHS discounts.

At least hospitals can enforce government guidelines and rules with little resistance.

Hahahaha this might be comment on the week.

@Wowwe

Front line workers wouldn’t be able to function properly without the ‘Behind the scenes nhs workers’ though ?! Every one plays their part...

Lots of MNers don’t seem to understand this and have bought into the idea that the NHS has loads of pointless manager types doing nothing.

I work closely with the strategic side of things for the department I work in, and those staff have been working their arses off to make sure the service continues running, dealing with logistics and changes to guidance, dealing with funding issues etc etc. Do people think the NHS could run itself or that doctors and nurses could do it? People have no idea the amount of work that goes into keeping it running.

The discounts are rarely more than 10% so aren't exactly amazingly lucrative (though of course every bit helps!). A lot of places have always done an nhs discount so perhaps you are just noticing more now?

@Livelovebehappy

It’s virtue signalling by companies I guess. Doesn’t have the same affect if they say ‘look at us, giving supermarket workers discounts...’ also its not just frontline staff who benefit. My dsis works in admin for NHS, in a hospital that’s virtually been untouched during the pandemic, but takes advantage of the discounts and queue jumping (yes, queue jumping still happens). The NHS does a great job, most of the time, but a lot of businesses and workers have been affected, and its kind of a kick in the teeth for only one section of society to be offered these perks. At least hospitals can enforce government guidelines and rules with little resistance. Supermarkets and banks have to face verbal abuse on a daily basis from customers refusing to follow the rules.

Also supermarket staff will already be benefitting from discounts on their food shopping via staff discount.

Discounts aren't given as a reward for working in the NHS, or being a certain age or a student they are for marketing. They make the company look like they care and they get new customers in. Student Discount has been around for decades it has proven rewards for companies that do it as they gain a customer for life at a young age. How many still bank with the bank you joined as a student?

@Shaniac

Imagine being frontline staff & reading this. I'm sure they'd rather swap jobs with you. Feel free to get a job in the NHS is you want a 10% discount in morrisons...

They are also free to leave and get another job if they want.

I've seen this being said on other threads too - mainly NHS/education ones

Yes of course people can leave, but who's going to replace them? Do people think there's an abundance of nurses/doctors/teachers etc just sat at home waiting for someone to have had enough and then they'll slip into their job?!

I work in early years education, I saw this a lot on the very long threads about nursery staff being (quite rightly) scared about being in work right now. The amount of people who said they wanted their child's nursery to stay open and if any of the staff didn't like it, they could just leave! Oh yes, because these nurseries can safely run short staffed.....

@Backbee

At least hospitals can enforce government guidelines and rules with little resistance.

Hahahaha this might be comment on the week.

Yes. Maybe the poster should come and work in A and E with me. People hurling abuse at us hasn’t stopped because of covid. People outside hospitals protesting that this is a hoax with no mask in sight.

Have mine. Have my job too.

Fwiw I don’t use it

Jane’s by no means all have. Hoards are working from home and not doing face to face whilst many other sectors are.

Teachers and nhs staff are becoming the villains on mn

It’s not altruism as has already been explained, it’s a business strategy so people spend their money there. The NHS has always had discount schemes as do many other places with large workforce’s.

I never worked there but an old friend used to get amazing discounts through working for Yell.

Tbh most of these discounts can be accessed in other ways and through other schemes or even just a bit of hunting around on the internet and they’re not particularly great discounts. I get better deals through my bank account.

People are getting their knickers in a twist over marketing.

I agree - my hubbie is a postie - works within the sorting office under difficult situation - and over Christmas - with the volume of on-line orders and staff sickness - he was sooo stressed and anxious at work - but could not afford to take time off. - no discounts came our way -and very little thanks - only criticism for 'delayed post'

Emergency services discounts have always been there.. it’s nothing new at all. I think they are just more apparent now with social media etc

I think YABU

@TitInATrance

The problem with companies offering some groups discounts - blue light, students, civil service, national trust members, staff, OAPs - is that the cost needs to be covered by everyone else; it’s really differential pricing.

It’s a marketing gimmick designed to make the market less efficient for consumers (they don’t choose the shops offering best value to everyone) and more profitable for companies.

I make the assumption that if a company offers 10% off for students (to pick a less emotive example) they are overcharging me, and take my business elsewhere.

I completely support paying frontline staff more money and would support a COVID bonus for them,

This makes me laugh. We live in a capitalist society. I’m sure every single shop is making more than 10% profit on every item they sell. So by that opinion you could argue every shop is overcharging you and just stop shopping.

Most shops have some form of blue cross sale where for a few weeks they knock 20% off, most shops have a near constant 10% discount code if you hunt for it. They will still be making a profit when they sell something with that discount. It’s not overcharging....it’s a viable business model.

The clap for heroes thing originated in Italy I think. Plenty of other countries appreciating their health services right now.
They didn't clap and bang pans every week though. That's what I am talking about. Show respect, but like... Normally. There is appreciation and respect. Then there is weird obsession basically just because it's free at point of entry.

It doesn't worry me too much. I do have a friend who works in the NHS who asks every time she buys something if she can have a discount for being an NHS worker which I personally find excruciatingly embarrassing!!

People get discounts - often for no reason.

In many places like Edinburgh civil servants get a card for discounts at various shops.

People who work for airlines, CAA and NATS get incredible discounts on travel. I knew a girl who sold cargo space for Air France - if she had no weekend plans she would decide to go and visit her friend in Brazil.