Participation in loyalty programmes has shifted from being a “nice to have” to a financial necessity for many South African consumers who increasingly rely on these benefits to manage household budgets and offset rising living costs.

According to the latest Truth & BrandMapp survey, loyalty participation remains firmly entrenched in consumer behaviour, with 85% of South Africans using such programmes in 2025/26, up from 82% the previous year.

Drawing on insights from more than 30,000 economically active adults with a gross monthly household income of R10,000 or more, with 6,000 mass-market consumers earning below R10,000 per month, the research collectively represents the loyalty behaviour of more than 23-million South Africans.

The research was conducted in the latter half of 2025 by WhyFive Insights, a strategic consumer insight consultancy powered by BrandMapp, and written and published by Truth, a global leading consultancy and training academy specialising in customer loyalty.

“Like never before, consumers not only like cash back — they need the financial support from loyalty programmes,” Truth’s founder and CEO Amanda Cromhout said.

“It is more evident each year how critical loyalty programmes have become in the daily lives of South African consumers, particularly as they navigate ongoing cost-of-living pressures.”

South African consumers are bracing for a steep jump in fuel prices from April, which will push not just their transport budgets higher but also the price of food and other household commodities as manufacturers and retailers pass on production costs.

The research finds that as consumers look for ways to make ends meet monthly, their relationship with retailers’ loyalty programmes is not simply about “loving” a brand but rather using the benefits to survive financially.

“The year-on-year growth in loyalty engagement suggests that current consumer behaviour is driven by economic pressures, pushing them to seek demonstrable value,” Cromhout says in the report.

Respondents in the survey were asked what kept them awake at night, with 44% stating it was rising food and energy costs, up from 42% who cited this reason last year. This ranked third behind crime and corruption.

While the growth to 85% of South Africans actively using loyalty programmes from 82% is positive, the pace has slowed compared with previous years, showing a shift from the “acquisition phase” for loyalty to the “optimisation phase”.

Supermarket chain Checkers’ Xtra Savings programme regained the position of most-used loyalty programme, just ahead of health and beauty retailer Clicks’ ClubCard.

In financial services, First National Bank’s eBucks scheme retained top position among economically active consumers while Capitec led financial services loyalty adoption among mass market consumers.

In the fast-food and restaurant category, Spur’s Family Card was the most-used programme.

Asked which programme they could not “live without”, most economically active consumers selected Discovery Vitality, a wellness programme that rewards members for healthy behaviour such as exercising and eating well by unlocking benefits such as gym discounts, cashback on healthy food and cheaper travel.

Most mass-market consumers said they could not “live without” Capitec Bank.

The latest survey shows that over the past decade, loyalty usage in South Africa has grown in penetration and depth, with the average number of programmes used per consumer rising from 4.6 in 2015 to 10.4 in 2025 — a 228% increase.

“The growth in programme participation over the past decade reflects consumer demand and brands investing in delivering meaningful value,” Cromhout said.