Put sparkle in your portfolio with shares that bring FREE f izz!

...or money off designer handbags, children’s toys – even a luxury cruise

SHARE buyers usually hope their investments will set them on the road to riches, but for many the simple fact of owning a little piece of a company can bring extra rewards.

For those who play their shareholdings right, such perks can prove fruitful irrespective of whether the share price rises or falls – or the dividend is cut.

While buying purely for a perk is not recommended, it can make share ownership more appealing. A number of companies keep shareholders sweet with freebies and discounts – usually on the goods or services their businesses sell.

Shareholder concessions are not as plentiful as they were 20 years ago when firms were keener to attract private shareholders. But with the festive season upon us there are opportunities to stock up on party essentials for less – such as beer and bubbly – by choosing the right shares. There are also deals for those who want to splash out on designer handbags as well as cut-price books for the more budget conscious gift buyer.

Some arrangements allow the perk for owners of just one share, while others involve a bigger financial commitment.

If you are keen to get your rewards quickly, check the small print first because many firms demand shareholders wait a set period before they become eligible. Also, there might be a time limit on taking up a deal.

In addition, there are costs involved in buying shares – and extra fees for holding them on a broker’s platform. By shopping around, it is possible to purchase them for as little as £5 a trade.

If shares are held electronically in a so-called ‘nominee’ account with a broker rather than in paper form at home, the perk might be harder to get hold of.

Some brokers enable access to the perks routinely while occasionally you may need to obtain a letter from them confirming a shareholding that can be presented to the company in order to make the claim.

Ian Forrest, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, says: ‘Investors should never invest solely for the discounts a company offers, not least as they may find their investment has fallen in value if the need comes to sell it. But looking around the market to see what is available could help investors get into the habit of investing as well as providing some household necessities.’ He adds: ‘It would be good to see more companies giving shareholder perks. This is not a one way street and the companies involved do it to encourage greater loyalty from customers and more business as a consequence.’

Here, The Mail on Sunday gives the lowdown on some of the best shares with fringe benefits – and how much it costs.

DRINK AND DINING

GET Christmas off to a sparkling start with discounts on some good old British bubbly from Chapel Down. There is up to a quarter off the price of the upmarket Kent winemaker’s beverages for investors – ranging from sparkling wine and beer to cider and gin.

There is also a wine tasting tour thrown in for free. A magnum of its classic non-vintage Brut sparkling wine normally costs £60, but a shareholder can buy it for £45.You can even purchase a lease on some vines – for wine to be bottled from the 2019 harvest – at a third off.

For example, a minimum one-year lease of five vines will normally cost £325. This provides a buyer with six ‘free’ personalised bottles plus a visit to the vines and the chance to take part in the harvest. The shareholder discount reduces this to about £218. The drawback of this money-off perk is that you will need to buy 2,000 shares. At Friday’s price, this would require a minimum outlay of £1,800.

Adnams, the Suffolk-based brewer, issues a ‘shareholder privilege card’ every May, giving holders a 15 per cent discount on its brews, via home delivery or online. It also provides the same discount on meals and accommodation at Adnams Hotels.

Investment clubs – where groups of people club together to purchase shares – are excluded. At Friday’s share price, £105 would be required to qualify for the perk in May.

Eligible shareholders of Marston’s Inns and Taverns are entitled to a privilege card that gives 20 per cent off food and accommodation at participating Marston’s outlets. The minimum purchase is 500 shares which will cost you £475.

Restaurant Group hands out 12 vouchers providing shareholders (as at April each year) with 25 per cent off food and drink for tables up to ten people. Vouchers can be used at Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquito, Garfunkel’s, Coast to Coast, Filling Station and Restaurant Group pub restaurants. The minimum purchase of shares is 250, costing £330.

TOYS AND BOOKS

PARENTS can cut the cost of sought-after toys for their offspring by cashing in on discounts for shareholders of Character Group. All shareholders are entitled to 20 per cent knocked off the price of any products – ranging from Dr Who action figures and Minecraft to Peppa Pig and Pokemon.

They must be purchased online at character-online.co.uk and buyers first need to obtain a special discount code. The minimum qualifying share holding is just one share, currently priced at £5.36.

For those who like to make higher end purchases, handbag-maker Mulberry is an option. Those with at least 500 shares receive a discount card that gives 20 per cent off products up to a value of £5,000 a year. Do not raise your hopes of a double discount by rushing to buy a handbag in the January sales. All sale items are excluded as are gift voucher and online purchases. Also, shares held in a pension do not qualify. At Friday’s price, 500 shares will cost £1,585.

If Harry Potter is a favourite with children or grandchildren, then a 35 per cent price discount on books is available to shareholders in Bloomsbury Publishing, JK Rowling’s publisher. Just a single share is required, costing £2.

TRAVEL

WITH an eye on banishing the postfestive blues, booking a cruise may well be on the cards.

Shareholders in operator Carnival can claim a useful credit for any onboard spending – the level dependent on a trip’s duration. The minimum shareholding required is 100 shares costing £4,300. If you hold Carnival shares through a broker such as Hargreaves Lansdown, you should be able to request a letter confirming ownership in order to claim the credit.

Another option for cutting cruise costs is shares in Renishaw. It is a company better known for its precision engineering products but it also owns holiday company Wotton Travel. Shareholders are entitled to discounts on package holidays – ski, sun and city breaks – and cruises. A single share costs about £38.