Brits using loyalty schemes to combat inflation

• A further 30% of consumers said they’re not using loyalty schemes to combat the cost of living yet, but they think they will in the near future

• A staggering 61% of +55 yr olds use all of their loyalty cards compared to just 33% of 16-24 yr olds

• A quarter of 25-34 yr olds have 3 loyalty cards but over 65% say they don’t use them all

Nearly half of Brits (42%) are using loyalty schemes to combat the cost of living, according to market research by loyalty eWallet and brand marketplace, Swapi.

This latest research has shone a light on the current consumer loyalty trends and the reliance on retail loyalty schemes to help combat rising costs. This was mirrored in the amount of money that consumers said that they are typically trying to save in a month, with one in three (30%) aiming to save around £5-10 a month through loyalty alone and nearly one in 10 (9%) up to £30 a month using

Swapi’s data also shows over half of Brits (53%) use or gain their loyalty points through their grocery shops. Among these, the most popular reason consumers interact with retail loyalty is to save money on shopping (74%), but with the majority of Brits only doing so when it comes to groceries, it’s clear many are missing out on unreaped savings and rewards.

With people across the UK currently holding £6 billion (£47 per person) in unspent loyalty points, it comes as no surprise that research has revealed well over a third of consumers (38%) have experienced the frustration of having loyalty points expire on them, and that 18% of those surveyed admit this has happened one than once, signalling a need for greater transparency from loyalty schemes and the retailers that run them.

For Pete Howroyd, Founder & CEO of Swapi, retail loyalty has been calling out for greater innovation and transparency if it is to entice the modern-day customer who is seeking greater value and incentives than ever before. Responding to this latest market research, he commented:

“With our data showing nearly half of Brits are using loyalty schemes often to combat the increased cost of living, retailers need to take a serious look at how their loyalty programmes are rewarding their customers now when they need it most.

“We can see there is still room for improvement in educating consumers on how to take full advantage of modern retail loyalty. Whether that’s knowing when your points are going to expire, the opportunity to double or triple your points from selected promotions, or taking advantage of the latest loyalty technology and compiling all their loyalty cards onto an app for easier access. The opportunities to take advantage of loyalty are rife and not limited to groceries or air miles, but available in a variety of industries that consumers use frequently and could benefit from.”

Since launching in December, Swapi has worked with brands to improve the value of their rewards and loyalty schemes, building a thriving app that now hosts over 20,000 users, over 30,000 loyalty cards registered and over 5,000 reward redemptions, just over 190 a week since launch. Their latest research has been released at a crucial time when both cost of living and inflation are hitting record highs and the team at Swapi is determined to educate the British public on the often hidden value in loyalty schemes.

Methodology

The surveys were conducted by Swapi in collaboration with Censuswide in April 2022 and surveyed 1,500 consumers in the UK.

About Swapi

Swapi is a brand new e-wallet for loyalty and bank cards. We allow consumers to consolidate all their loyalty cards in one app making it efficient for users to collate their loyalty and bank cards in one sleek and modern app.

As well as an e-wallet, Swapi houses our own in-app currency, Swapi-Points, that users can earn from any transaction that they do through the Swapi app with any of our 500+ household name retailers in the in-app marketplace.

We’re working with household name brands to bring them onto our app, including ASOS, Sky, TUI, Selfridges and many more! This means there is no limit to where you can collect and spend your Swapi points – a far cry from the traditional approach.

This is one of the most important facets of Swapi, as it allows maximum flexibility for the consumer to shop and spend their way. Whilst a user can collate Swapi points from their weekly food shop, they can redeem them on treats and luxuries, finally getting a rewarding experience from modern retail loyalty. As it stands we have over 2M Swapi points currently in circulation and we’re finding that a growing number of users are coming to Swapi to take advantage of our ‘expired points’ offer, where we reward users with Swapi points when they have had loyalty points from retailers expire on them.

Swapi is transforming loyalty for good – and making it a whole lot more rewarding. Collect Swapi Points™ with a host of leading retailers, hotels, airlines and more, then use your loyalty points your way, with more choice and more control than ever before. Convert them in the Swapi Marketplace or, soon, swap all your loyalty balances between brands for an even wider selection of amazing rewards.

For more information about Swapi please visit their website https://www.swapi.global/ or mailto:[email protected]

Methodology

The surveys were conducted by Swapi in collaboration with Censuswide in April 2022 and surveyed 1,500 consumers in the UK.