Loyalty card statistics 2026

YouGov's May 2024 survey of 1,019 UK adults found that 9 in 10 Britons are signed up to at least one loyalty programme, with supermarkets (82%) leading the way.

9 in 10 Britons are currently signed up for at least one loyalty programme … supermarkets (82%) leading the way

Loyalty consultancy Bond's 2026 survey of 20,591 US programme members found 85% are more likely to keep doing business with a brand that has a loyalty programme, and 73% spend more.

85% of consumers are more likely to continue doing business with a brand if they have a loyalty program, with 73% spending more as a result.

Loyalty consultancy Bond says in its 2024 report that the average person now holds 19 different loyalty programmes.

consumers now participate in a huge number of programs with 19 different loyalty programs being held by the average person.

Loyalty consultancy Bond's 2023 report found US consumers belong to 18 programmes on average and actively take part in 50% of the ones they have joined.

In the US, consumers are on average members of 18 programs and actively participate with 50% of the programs they are enrolled in

Loyalty-industry researcher COLLOQUY (LoyaltyOne) found in 2015 that US households belonged to 29 programmes in 2014 but were active in only 12; 58% of memberships were inactive.

U.S. households belonged to an average of 29 loyalty programs in 2014 but were active in only 12. … more than half (58%) don't actively participate in those memberships.

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey of 3,000 marketers and 10,000 consumers found 65.9% of consumers say loyalty programmes are now part of their everyday lives.

Over half (65.9%) of the consumers surveyed said loyalty programs are now part of their everyday lives.

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey found UK consumers belong to 4.7 programmes on average against 3.7 globally, and 83% join mainly to save money.

UK consumers already belong to an average of 4.7 programs, significantly higher than the global average of 3.7. … 83% join loyalty programs primarily to save money

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey found 43.2% of consumers are more likely to join a programme than last year; among UK consumers only 33% say so.

43.2% of consumers say that they are more likely to join a program now than they were last year … Only 33% of UK consumers say they're more likely to join a loyalty program than last year

Payments company Square's 2025 Future of Commerce survey (4,000 consumers in the US, Canada, UK and Australia) found 69% find loyalty programmes valuable.

Consumers are happy to be part of the in-crowd at their favorite restaurants – 69% find loyalty programs to be valuable

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 report, based on programme owners, found 27% of the points customers earned in 2025 went unspent, and 12% expired in programmes that use expiry.

In 2025, 27% of the points customers earned were left unspent. Among loyalty programs that use point expiration, 12% of the total points earned expire

McKinsey's analysis found redeemers spend 25% more than enrolled but inactive members, while active members spend 10% more. It is a correlation: redeemers self-select.

While a typical active loyalty-program member spends 10 percent more than someone who is enrolled but not active, redeemer members spend 25 percent more than enrolled but inactive members

McKinsey says that when companies offer a points-plus-cash option, redemptions sometimes increase by 20 to 25 percent. It is a practitioner observation, not a measured study.

When companies provide a points-plus-cash option, redemptions sometimes increase by 20 to 25 percent.

The best loyalty programs achieve their full value potential by reinvigorating members to participate in them, not by depending on breakage to make their economics look successful.

Mobile marketing vendor Urban Airship (now Airship) found in 2016 that people skip their physical loyalty card because they did not bring it (43%) or forgot they were a member (40%).

The top two reasons for not always using them include not bringing the card (43 percent) and forgetting they are part of the loyalty program (40 percent).

Mobile marketing vendor Urban Airship (now Airship) found in a 2016 survey of 2,000 US and UK adults that 69% are more likely to use their loyalty card if it is on their phone.

69 percent of respondents are more likely to use their loyalty card if it's on their phone.

Mobile marketing vendor Urban Airship (now Airship) found in 2016 that 73% would be more likely to join a loyalty programme if points update automatically on a mobile wallet card.

73 percent of respondents are more likely to join a loyalty program if points and rewards are automatically updated and immediately visible on mobile wallet loyalty cards.

One-quarter of respondents use their physical loyalty cards "sometimes" or "rarely" and one-third "always" use them.

The top three mobile wallet items consumers have used the most are loyalty cards, coupons and boarding passes.

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey: 42.4% named a digital loyalty card saved on their phone as their favourite way to interact with a programme (34.7% in 2025); 41.0% named a plastic card.

Favorite way to interact with a loyalty program They log in to a mobile app – 44.1% vs 59.0% in 2025 They use a digital loyalty card saved on their phone – 42.4% vs 34.7% in 2025 They carry a plastic card – 41.0% vs 29.3% in 2025

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey found Gen Z are less attached to plastic cards (26.5%) than the global 41% and Baby Boomers (56%); 42.5% of Gen Z use a card saved on their phone.

they are less attached to plastic cards at 26.5%, compared to the global 41%, and dramatically below Baby Boomers at 56%. … digital loyalty cards saved on the phone are used by 42.5% of Gen Z, aligned with the global 42%

Users have saved millions of passes by manually adding their loyalty cards to Google Wallet.

Eurostat reports almost 9 out of 10 EU internet users connected to the internet on mobile devices in 2025.

Mobile devices were used to connect to the internet by almost 9 out of 10 EU users in 2025.

Eurostat reports mobile internet access in 2025 was highest in the Netherlands and Ireland (both 98%), followed by Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Malta (all 95%).

The highest rate of the access to the web through a mobile or a smart phone in 2025 were reported by the Netherlands and Ireland (both at 98%), Spain (95%), Sweden (95%), Denmark (95%), and Malta (95%).

Eurostat reports that 94% of people in the EU used the internet in the last 3 months in 2025; 4% spent the whole year without using it.

In the EU, 94% of the individuals used the internet in the last 3 months in 2025 while 4% spent the whole year without using the internet.

UK Finance reports that 75% of all UK adults used mobile banking in 2024.

75% of all adults used mobile banking in 2024

Frederick Reichheld writes in Loyalty Rules! (2001) that a 5 percent increase in customer retention increases profits by 25 to 95 percent. It is a range from 1990s modelling, not a measurement.

The bottom line is this: An increase in customer retention rates of 5 percent increases profits by 25 percent to 95 percent.

Bain & Company's 2000 analysis says e-commerce companies retaining 5% more customers can boost profits by 25 to 95%.

By retaining a mere 5% more customers, e-companies can boost profits by 25–95%—through the simple economics of loyalty.

Bain says (2001) that in financial services a 5% increase in customer retention produces more than a 25% increase in profit.

In financial services, for example, a 5% increase in customer retention produces more than a 25% increase in profit.

Bain & Company's 2000 analysis says acquiring e-customers costs 20 to 30% more than for traditional businesses, so they stay unprofitable for at least two to three years.

Acquiring e-customers is so expensive (20–30% higher than traditional businesses) that those customers remain unprofitable for at least two to three years.

Depending on which study you believe, and what industry you're in, acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one.

Accenture Interactive's 2016 survey of 106 retail loyalty professionals found members generate 12 to 18 percent more revenue for retailers than non-members.

Members of retailers' customer loyalty programs generate between 12 percent and 18 percent more revenue for retailers than do customers who are not members of the loyalty programs

McKinsey says top-performing loyalty programmes can lift revenue from customers who redeem points by 15 to 25 percent a year, but around two-thirds of established programmes fail to deliver value.

top-performing loyalty programs can boost revenue from customers who redeem points by 15 to 25 percent annually, by increasing either their purchase frequency or basket size or both. However, we have observed that around two-thirds of established loyalty programs fail to deliver value

A 2020 McKinsey survey found members of paid loyalty programmes are 60 percent more likely to spend more after subscribing, against 30 percent for free programmes.

A 2020 McKinsey survey on loyalty programs found that members of paid loyalty programs are 60 percent more likely to spend more on the brand after subscribing, while free loyalty programs only increase that likelihood by 30 percent.

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey of 3,000 marketers found 92.7% of programme owners report a positive return, with an average ROI of 5.3x. These are self-reported figures.

92.7% reported a positive return, with an average ROI of 5.3x.

We find a small positive yet significant effect of loyalty program membership on share-of-wallet. This effect is seven times smaller than is suggested by a naive model that ignores the endogeneity of program membership.

A 2021 meta-analysis of 429 effect sizes found strong evidence that loyalty programmes enhance customer loyalty, mostly behavioural loyalty; shifting attitudes is harder.

Based on a data set with 429 effect sizes, published or available between 1990 and 2020, we find strong evidence that LPs enhance customer loyalty. However, while LPs particularly enhance behavioral loyalty, shifting consumers' attitudinal loyalty is more challenging.

consumers who were heavy buyers at the beginning of a loyalty program were most likely to claim their qualified rewards, but the program did not prompt them to change their purchase behavior. In contrast, consumers whose initial patronage levels were low or moderate gradually purchased more and became more loyal to the firm.

Overall, we find that LPs are effective in increasing consumer purchase behaviours over time, but the impact differs across consumer segments and markets.

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey found 60% of Gen Z are more likely to join a loyalty programme than last year, against 43% of consumers globally.

While the global average of consumers who are more likely to join a loyalty program than last year is 43%, among Gen Z this number jumps to 60%.

Loyalty platform Antavo's 2026 survey found saving money is the top reason to join for 71% of consumers globally but drops to 51% for Gen Z.

Money-saving benefits remain the number one global driver for joining a loyalty program at 71%. However, for Gen Z, this drops sharply to 51%.

The European Central Bank's 2024 survey found the youngest euro-area age group used mobile payments for 10% of point-of-sale transactions, against 3% for the oldest.

The youngest age group used mobile payments in 10% of their POS transactions, while the corresponding share for the oldest age group was 3%.

UK Finance reports 88% of UK 16 to 24 year olds were registered to use mobile payments in 2024.

Chart 1.2 Proportion of each age group registered to use mobile payments, 2024 88% 78% 65% 58% 47% 25% 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Global Payments' 2026 report says that in the US digital wallets are the most used online payment method for 39% of 18 to 24 year olds and 41% of 25 to 34 year olds.

digital wallets are already the most used online payment method for 39% of 18–24-year-olds and 41% of 25–34-year-olds.

KPMG's 2019 survey of 18,520 consumers found 69% of millennials find loyalty programmes difficult to join and earn rewards from, against 61% of all respondents.

69 percent of Millennials find them difficult to join and to earn rewards, compared to 49 percent of Baby Boomers and 61 percent of all respondents. … Of those who do, 81 percent say their membership increases their spend with the company concerned — compared to just 66 percent of Baby Boomers and 76 percent overall.

Cisco's 2024 privacy survey found 49% of consumers aged 25 to 34 have switched providers over data practices, compared with 18% of those aged 75 and over.

49% of consumers aged 25-34 have switched companies or providers over their data policies or data-sharing practices, compared to just 18% of those aged 75+.

No source given

47% of paper punch cards never get redeemed

The Perkstar article states the figure and cites no source for it. Searches found it only on other loyalty-vendor blogs that repeat it. The published redemption evidence is a field experiment in which 19% of customers given a plain 8-stamp card redeemed it.

Seen on: Perkstar

Circular citation

39% of customers abandon paper loyalty programs because they misplace their cards

Stamp Me attributes the figure to Statista and links to a Loopy Loyalty help page, which also writes "Source: Statista" without a link. No matching Statista record could be found. The nearest paywalled Statista chart is a 2015 survey of 402 US millennials whose top reason was that rewards were not compelling or relevant.

Seen on: Stamp Me

Not on the cited page

53% abandon programs because it takes too long to earn a reward

The figure has been credited to this Stamp Me article, and our own earlier site credited it there too, but 53% does not appear on the page. No primary source for it was found. Published surveys give 49.1% globally and 57% in the UK for rewards taking too long to earn.

Credited to: Stamp Me

Wrong

The average email open rate is less than 2%

MobiLoud shows the email figure in an image, not in the page text. MailerLite's analysis of over 3.6 million campaigns found a median open rate of 43.46% and a click rate of 2.09%, so the figure is close to the click rate, not the open rate. Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates opens.

Seen on: MobiLoud

Source no longer exists

Push notification click-through rate is 28%

MobiLoud attributes the 28% to a study by the agency Reckless. That study's URL now redirects to the agency's insights index, so the figure cannot be traced to its data. Batch's 2025 benchmark reports contextual push campaigns opened at 14.4% and generic ones at 4.19%.

Seen on: MobiLoud

Not on the cited page

Apple Pay has 580 million+ active users, up ~16% a year

The figure has been credited to this Statista topic page, and our own earlier site credited it there too, but the page contains neither 580 million nor 16%. It says over 500 million people activated the service. Apple publishes no Apple Pay user count. Apple does state an installed base of more than 2.5 billion active devices, and UK Finance publishes mobile-payment registration figures.

Credited to: Statista

Not on the cited page

Google Wallet is available in 50+ countries

The figure has been credited to this ElectroIQ page, and our own earlier site credited it there too, but the page makes no such claim. Google's developer blog says Google Wallet expanded to more than 90 countries and territories in 2024 and has since added 50 more.

Credited to: ElectroIQ

No source given

Acquiring a new customer costs 5 to 25 times more than keeping one

Invesp cites Harvard Business Review. The HBR article gives the range with a hedge ("Depending on which study you believe") and names no study, so no primary source stands behind the figure. It can be quoted only as HBR's hedged range, not as a finding.

Seen on: Invesp

No source given

Wallet pass notifications have a 99% open rate

The Regulr article attributes the 99% to Square's 2025 Loyalty Report. No Square report containing the figure was found, and we found no public, independent benchmark of engagement with Apple or Google Wallet pass notifications.

Seen on: Regulr

No source given

Businesses using digital loyalty see 25-35% higher redemption rates compared to paper cards

The Perkstar article states the range without a source, describes it as outcomes from its own businesses, and gives no data or method. The published redemption evidence found is a field experiment on stamp-card design, not a paper-versus-digital measurement.

Seen on: Perkstar

No source given

Digital loyalty programs increase visit frequency by 30-40%

The Perkstar article states the range without a source and gives no data or method. No primary study with this figure was found.

Seen on: Perkstar

Misquoted

Repeat customers spend 67% more per transaction than first-time customers

The Perkstar article cites no source. The nearest primary finding is Bain and Mainspring's December 1999 survey of 2,116 US online shoppers: in apparel, the average repeat customer spent 67 percent more in months 31 to 36 of the relationship than in months zero to six. That is online apparel in 1999, not spend per transaction.

Seen on: Perkstar

Misquoted

A 5% increase in customer retention correlates with a 25% increase in profit

Queue-it cites Bain. Reichheld's text, hosted by Bain, says an increase in customer retention of 5 percent increases profits by 25 percent to 95 percent, a range from 1990s modelling rather than a correlation or a single 25% figure.

Seen on: Queue-it