Every little helps: Tesco launches Clubcard TV, its free Blinkbox-powered video-streaming service

UK supermarket chain Tesco is currently trialling a new online streaming service aimed at Clubcard customers.

The project is being tested in private among Tesco employees, but will be opening this spring for Clubcard customers to sign up for, though at this early stage, the content isn’t the most enticing.

Users are required to enter their Clubcard membership number  to access the content for free. However, as you’ll no doubt know, anyone can get hold off a Tesco Clubcard, so this will really be open to anyone, regardless of how frequently they shop at Tesco.

That said, I’m not entirely sure Netflix or LoveFilm will be quaking in their boots so far, with the likes of animated Batman/Superman movies, Mazes and Monsters, Cheesecake Casserole, Care Bears and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps seemingly the star attractions so far.

However, it’s free and it is only a trial offering at present. Tesco is a huge company, so there is a lot of scope here for this to develop as a service – whether it can get exclusives and offer really compelling content compared to what’s offered by the VoD industry’s incumbents remains to be seen.

Tesco acquired a majority stake in Blinkbox – the UK-based VoD service – way back in 2011, so it was likely only a matter of time before such a service was launched. It follows  a similar initiative announced not long after the Tesco deal was first revealed almost a year-and-a-half ago, whereby Clubcard customers who’d acquired a DVD in a Tesco store could also watch it online using Blinkbox.

➤ Clubcard TV

Feature Image Credit – Wikimedia