From cake to pizza: How to get the best birthday freebies (and why there's a catch)

Your birthday brings a wave of promotional emails offering freebies across various industries. From bakery treats to fast-food deals, and fashion discounts to beauty gifts, there's a plethora of options available through loyalty programs and special birthday promotions. However, it's crucial to understand the terms and conditions attached to these offers, as most are not truly free - they often require a minimum spend, previous purchases, or membership in a specific scheme.

For instance, Greggs, Costa, and Krispy Kreme offer free bakery items to their loyalty app users, while hotel chains like Hotel Chocolat and Lindt provide birthday rewards upon meeting specific spending thresholds. Fashion and beauty brands tend to offer discounts or vouchers, but these can be personalized and not guaranteed for all customers.

So, while your birthday brings a bounty of freebies, it's essential to read the fine print to ensure you're getting the best deal.

Brief written by urgent.news from BBC Business's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.