Help and information for parents and carers

eCode – this is a unique 16-digit number which will be sent to you by email or post from your school administrator. You will need to exchange this eCode for a supermarket eGift card of your choice from  www.selectyourcompliment.co.uk/grocery. You cannot use the eCode directly with the retailer, it must be exchanged for an eGift card first.

eGift card – you can choose an eGift card from a selection of supermarkets, such as Tesco or Morrisons. To order an eGift card, exchange your 16-digit eCode at www.selectyourcompliment.co.uk/grocery. The eGift card will be sent to the email address entered during check-out and can be spent in-store at the chosen supermarket. Your school may select your eGift card for you and either print it and post it to you or arrange for you to collect it.

• Aldi
• Asda
• Farmfoods
• Iceland
• McColl’s (including RS McColl’s and Martin’s)
• M&S food
• Morrisons
• Sainsbury’s
• Tesco
• The Company Shop
• Waitrose

Your school will have flexibility in how often they will send you an eCode or an eGift card. Any queries about free school meals eligibility or your eCode or eGift cards should be directed to your school in the first instance.

This is stated in the email or letter sent by the school.

The eGift card is issued to parents in respect of the free school meal benefit and will only be accepted in store for the purchase of food and groceries.

A supermarket eGift card is a digital voucher. The eGift card email contains a barcode or a link to a see a barcode online which can be presented at the till in-store either on a smartphone screen or printed on a piece of paper, just like a gift card (some eGift cards can be spent online, please see the FAQs for details).

You can forward the supermarket eGift card to someone else to purchase goods on your behalf if you’re not able to get to the supermarket. The eGift card email contains a link to a barcode which can be presented at the till in-store, just like a gift card. Some eGift cards can be spent online, please see the FAQs for details. You can also contact your school directly to see if there are any alternatives available.

This will be at the discretion of your school who may issue an eCode for each of your children or, alternatively, may send one eCode to you for the total value of your children’s free school meal entitlement. Any queries about free school meals eligibility or your eCode or eGift cards should be directed to your school.