An off-licence chain was yesterday braced for a rush of customers after a 40 per cent discount offer was circulated via email.
Thresher Group is concerned pre-Christmas profits could take a hit because of the voucher, which can be used against wine and champagne.
The chain emailed the coupon to a limited number of its suppliers earlier this week.
But it quickly spread amon
g the general public via email, accompanied by messages such as "best yet" and "I know you all enjoy a drink".
Recipients simply
print off the coupon, fill it in and present it in store.
The discount came into force yesterday and is valid until December 10 at branches of Threshers, Wine Rack, Bottoms Up, Haddows and The Local.
Around 2,000 stores across the UK will be affected. The offer applies to any wines and champagnes in those branches, up to a maximum spend of £500 per transaction.
Thresher Group's PR manager Dirk Kind said that one Threshers branch reported customers queueing out the door.
Mr Kind said the discounts had been intended for suppliers plus their friends and family rather than a mass-marketing ploy.
"We sent it out to our suppliers and we included a bit saying feel free to send it to your friends and family.
"That obviously is a fuzzy number but we didn't suspect it was going to be very much at all. But it has been absolutely huge," he said.
Mr Kind said the
company would honour the vouchers but said it was concerned about the impact on profits.
