Flava is different from others in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) sector as it focuses on food not fashion. Put simply, this interest-free payment service allows you to buy cupboard-staple groceries and spread the cost of these items over several weeks in equal chunks. But there’s an optional Flava Benefits membership fee that has caught some shoppers unawares. We’ve set out what this means in practice, and what to bear in mind.
Unlike services like Klarna or Clearpay, Flava isn’t a service that kicks in at the checkout of another brand’s site. Instead of doing your shopping at your regular online supermarket and then selecting Flava when it’s time to pay, you do your shopping on Flava’s own website, ordering goods from Flava and paying for them later.
To use Flava, you first need to sign up for an account. All new customers get up to £160 credit to start with. There are no credit checks involved in setting this up.
To shop, you fill your online basket with the grocery staples you want; there are goods from well-known brands such as Cadbury, Kellogg’s, Heinz and Andrex. You will also see a list of deals on the home page that may or may not be helpful to you. After this, you head to the checkout.
You can then pay for the goods upfront or in weekly instalments, up to a maximum of 6 weeks, with a debit or credit card. As Flava gets to know you, you may be able to pay over a term of up to 12 weeks. You select the first payment timing when you place your order and the remaining payments will be taken on a weekly basis after that. Flava will send your goods 3 to 5 business days after you make the first payment.
If you’re thinking of using a service like Flava, keep in mind that you might be paying more than necessary for your groceries. It’s worth comparing the cost of your typical shop on Flava to how much you might spend at other, budget supermarkets, to help you weigh up whether the service is worth it.”
When you join, you’ll be offered the option to sign up to a free trial of Flava Benefits, which you can cancel at any time. You don’t have to sign up to this – you can choose to skip it. Flava Benefits offers various discounts and free delivery, but it’s worth noting that after the free trial, the price will be £29.99 for the first month and then £14.99 a month. We’ve had feedback from shoppers who weren’t aware they were signing up for this subscription. It’s worth noting that you can choose a basic account, or, if you opt for the free trial, you can cancel before the 7 day trial is up (always worth putting a note in the diary with a reminder).
With the free account, you must spend a minimum of £60 to place an order. There is also a standard delivery charge for all orders of £6.99, and this must be paid alongside your first payment.
If you choose the free standard account, and make your payments on time, the only fee you will be charged on top of the amount for your items is the delivery fee of £6.99. Flava does not charge interest or late payment fees.
If you want the Flava Benefits account – which gives you free delivery, discounted items and daily deals – it will cost you £29.99 and then £14.99 a month.
Flava says it doesn’t charges late fees. If you can’t make 1 or all of your scheduled payments, call 01909 499492 or use the contact form to get in touch with Flava’s team to discus re-scheduling the payments. If you don’t make your payments, Flava will stop you using the service.
On its website, Flava states that you don’t need to pass any form of traditional credit check to use its service.
On flava.co.uk you will be asked for basic details such as your name, address and date of birth. After this, you will be given the choice to sign up for a free account, or the Flava Benefits account which requires a monthly fee.
If you encounter a problem with Flava, there’s a list of frequently asked questions on the site. Otherwise, give Flava a call on 01909 499492, or send a query via the contact form.
Flava is the first provider we’ve seen offering a pay later service specifically for grocery items. While it boasts some key benefits, we expect it will be challenged fairly soon on a few of its shortfalls, in particular the available grocery items and its hefty delivery fee.
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