I’ve been scanning my weekly shopping for over five years now, and I’m not going to pretend it changed my life — it didn’t. But it does earn me around £83 a year in vouchers for doing something I was already doing anyway. So here’s my honest Shop and Scan review: what it is, how the rewards actually work, whether it’s legitimate, and whether it’s actually worth your time.
Table of Contents
What is Shop and Scan?
‘Shop and Scan’ is a market research programme run by Kantar — one of the biggest consumer data companies in the world. As a member, you scan the barcodes on everything you bring home from the shops each week. Kantar pools this data (anonymously) and shares it with manufacturers and retailers so they can understand what people are actually buying.
That’s how we end up knowing that the whole of the UK is obsessed with supplements and turmeric, or that Aldi and Lidl have been quietly taking over everyone’s weekly shop. You’re contributing to that picture — and getting paid in vouchers for it.
Is Shop and Scan legit?
Yes! Kantar is a well-established, independent market research company based in London and part of the global Kantar Group. They’ve been running consumer panels for decades.
Your data is anonymised — your personal details are kept separate from your shopping submissions, so nobody’s getting a window into your specific household. I’ve been a member for five-plus years and have never received any unsolicited emails or third-party contact as a result. You can also verify reviews independently on Trustpilot — the ratings are solid.
How do you join Shop and Scan Reward?
Membership is by invitation. I received mine by post, but you can register your interest at volunteer4panels.com. Fair warning: acceptance isn’t guaranteed. Kantar tries to keep their panel balanced across different household types, locations, and demographics — so it depends on who they already have in your profile bracket. You might get accepted quickly or be waiting a while.
Is everyone eligible to join Shop and Scan?
A few things that will get your Shop& Scan application rejected:
- You work in marketing, advertising, or market research
- You’re already part of a Nielsen research programme (I tried it when I had a small pause from Shop& Scan -& I didn’t like it)
- You register using someone else’s invitation number or a work PC –> you should enter the Invitation Number exactly as shown (no spaces).
- You’re on a Mac (yes, really — the software is Windows only and it is quite ‘dated’)
- You cannot register using older versions of Windows (e.g. 95 or Windows 2000)
How does Shop & Scan work?
Once you’re accepted, Kantar posts you a small barcode scanner called The Clicker, plus a starter pack explaining everything. The process each week is straightforward:
- Unpack your shopping and scan each barcode with the Clicker
- Scan the barcodes in your reference booklet (to log the shop, who bought it, and total spend)
- Photograph your till receipt(s)
- Connect the Clicker to your Windows PC and upload your data
- Upload your receipt photo
The weekly cut-off is Sunday midnight, though they usually extend it to Monday. I always upload the data on Monday evening and always get my points notification on Tuesdays morning.
That’s it. Once you’re in the routine it takes about five minutes a week.
Shop and Scan rewards — how much can you earn?
This is what most people want to know, so let’s be specific.
Each week you earn:
- 1,100 points for uploading your barcode data
- 500 points for uploading your till receipt photo
- Total: 1,600 points per week
Every 10,000 points = a £10 voucher.
Over 48 weeks (accounting for holidays or weeks you don’t shop), that’s 76,800 points — enough for around £76 in vouchers. Factor in the occasional surveys and food diary requests (I once earned 20,000 points in a few minutes from a food diary survey) and you’re comfortably hitting £83 a year, sometimes more.
The earnings are tax-free because you’re being rewarded for research participation, not paid income.
The information you share with Kantar is confidential and they never release any of it without your permission. I have never received any emails or services from third parties as a result of my KANTAR research membership, so there are no risks when doing ‘Shop and Scan’ submissions.
What can you spend your Shop and Scan rewards on?
You can redeem your points for vouchers from a range of retailers including Amazon, Argos, Google Play, H&M, Halfords, Virgin, and others. You can also donate your points to charity — Cancer Research UK, NSPCC, and UNICEF are among the options.
I usually go for Amazon vouchers because the flexibility is hard to beat.
Is Shop and Scan worth it?
Honestly? Yes — with one caveat.
If you have a Windows PC and do a weekly shop, this is probably the easiest passive income you’ll find. You’re already buying groceries. Scanning barcodes adds a few minutes. The £83 a year essentially turns up without you having to do anything extra once you’re in the habit.
The caveat: if you don’t have a Windows PC, you’re stuck. The software doesn’t work on Mac, and while there’s an app, it’s by invitation only and not available to all members. That’s a genuine limitation worth knowing before you apply.
It’s not going to replace an income. But it’s legitimately free money for something you were already doing — and that’s the kind of win I’m always looking for.
Ready to apply? Register your interest at volunteer4panels.com and keep an eye on your post — invitations do arrive.
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Fancy earning Amazon vouchers. Then check that linked article to learn how.
This post was originally written in May 2023 & refreshed in June 2026.