LOYALTY PROGRAMMES

Checkers Xtra Savings most popular loyalty scheme among South Africans

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Supermarket group comes in ahead of retail chain Clicks by the tiniest of margins, latest loyalty whitepaper finds.

The Checkers Xtra Savings loyalty programme takes first place as the most used loyalty programme by economically active South African consumers. It is marginally ahead of the Clicks ClubCard.

This is according to the recently released ‘2023/4 Truth & BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper’, an annual snapshot of the loyalty habits of over 35,000 South African adults.

Photo credit: Shoprite

Checkers is a national supermarket chain owned by Shoprite Holdings. Clicks is a health, beauty and wellness retailer, as well as a pharmacy chain.

In the latest whitepaper, Checkers Xtra Savings beats the Clicks ClubCard by only 0.4% in the popularity stakes. ClubCard had the title of most used loyalty programme in four out of the previous seven studies.

Benefits most enjoyed by consumers

What is it that SA consumers most want in a loyalty programme? “Over the years, we have seen that cashback is consumers number one loyalty benefit and the 2023/4 study is not very different,” the research team says.

“The top three benefits are related to cashback or points converted into cash. Interestingly, when it comes to the most preferred benefit for mass market consumers, it is airtime and data, followed by cashback and points converted into cash.”

Fuel is an industry to watch

Fuel is one industry sector which has seen an explosion of loyalty programmes in the past 24 months.

Legislation restricts the direct discounting of fuel in South Africa, hence the partnership model enables fuel brands to drive potential increased sales via partnership programmes.

According to the study, the biggest of these is Engen, in partnership with FNB eBucks and Clicks ClubCard. But all fuel brands now use the partnership model to attract and retain customers.

You can view the full ‘2023/4 Truth & BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper’ here.

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