Carrefour: Savings for over 65′s & families with 3+ kids

At the beginning of this year Carrefour introduced their 65+ club card, which included a new initiative for holders to get sales tax (IVA) off all fresh produce. Originally the offer was only going to be valid until the end of March, but Carrefour extended it and also included the same offer for families with 3+ kids.

As with all offers there’s the big headline, the sub-header and the small print. In this case the big headline is “Sales Tax* Discounted”; underneath that it says “on fresh produce” and, at the foot of the page explaining the big asterisk, is a list of the products included in the promotion. Sales tax in Spain is generally thought of as being 21% (previously 18%), however on fresh produce it’s applied either at the rate of 4% or 10% (previously 8%) as follows:

• Fish, meat, cold meats (both pre-packed and sold by weight): 10%
• Cheese, eggs, fruit, vegetables, bread: 4%

As we always advocate on Money Saver Spain that you need to compare prices before buying, it turns out that Carrefour is already one of the cheapest supermarkets for fresh produce in Spain (in accordance with a study carried out by a Spanish consumer group). Of course what you need to watch out for is spending on other items whilst shopping, although Carrefour tends to be in the third or fourth position in the ranking for economical supermarket prices.

How can you take advantage of this offer if you’re not over 65? Well, a couple of ways are possible. First of all you can get a card for a relative who is over 65 (if not Spanish, then the person must have a NIE number in Spain) and use it to purchase online as this promotion can also be used at Carrefour’s online supermarket. Alternatively you can shop with a friend who has the card and then split the bill (and the shopping!) when you get back home.

For families with 3 or more kids that have a “Familia Numerosa” card (see here how to get one) you just need to request at your local Carrefour the “Superfamilias” card to get the same discounts.

Remember that both cards can also be used at Carrefour Market and Carrefour Express – the smaller establishments which can be found in many towns in Spain.