Tesco is retiring an app that gave its in-store pickers cash prizes for increasing their order picking rate and improving on past performance.
The supermarket developed the Earnie Goes Picking app with tech firm Lightfoot but its contract with the Exeter-based company has now ended.
The app has awarded £2.9m to store workers in prizes since it was launched around four years ago, via some 495,000 awards.
The app is now being switched off across all stores. Access will be maintained until the end of this month, to give staff the chance to withdraw prizes from their in-app wallets.
Tesco’s decision was confirmed in a message in the app to users from ‘The Earnie Team’.
“Although the service is coming to an end, we appreciate everyone who has taken part and used Earnie over the past few years,” the message said.
Tesco said it remained committed to recognising the effort and care that staff put into picking orders, pointing to the recent 5.1% increase in hourly pay for store workers.
The supermarket also last month announced a £65m special performance award for colleagues in stores, distribution centres and customer engagement centres.
One staff member on Reddit shared how they were “really disappointed” the app was being deleted.
“It’s very unexpected as well…I liked how it would let me know how I was doing. I wanted a chance to better my rate and potentially earn from it. Was that too much to ask? I got £25 in total. I really enjoyed it,” they posted.
Another wrote: “Doubt they even considered that productivity will probably go down as a result.”
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