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- Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble have said they will give perks to users who show they're vaccinated.
- Nine dating apps have teamed up with the UK government to encourage their users to get the jab.
- The vaccinated will get access to free features to help them stand out to potential matches.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Dating apps have formed an unlikely partnership: Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble are among the nine apps that have teamed up with the UK government to encourage their users to get vaccinated.
British app users will be able to add their vaccination status to their profiles, and will receive perks for doing so, according to a government press release published Monday.
The scheme is based on trust as there is no way of verifying users' vaccine status, according to the BBC.
Tinder users will get a free "Super Like" – a feature allowing users to stand out on the platform – if they display the sticker. Relationship-focused app Hinge will give users a free "Rose" which puts their profiles to the top of a potential match's feed.
Bumble will also give users discounts on premium features such as "Superswipes" if they add a "vaccinated" badge to the profile. Users will be able to share their COVID-19 dating preferences, such as whether they prefer to spend time indoors or outdoors, the press release said.
Dating platforms Badoo, Match, Muzmatch, OkCupid, OurTime, and Plenty of Fish have also joined the scheme. The partnership follows a similar campaign launched in the US last month.
"An important part of returning to normal is helping people feel safe as they connect in person," Alexandre Lubot, CEO of Match Group said in a statement. "A unified push towards more vaccinations will allow people to once again meet in person and connect in meaningful ways."
So far, just over 76% of UK adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 52% fully vaccinated, according to the latest government data.
A total of 31% of UK adults have said they would prefer to date someone who had received the jab, and 28% said they would not date an unvaccinated person, according to a YouGov poll in May.
OKCupid previously told Insider that its users who said they were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to receive "likes" from other users who said they would avoid the jab.