The study of 63 countries, by Nielsen, showed that 89% of British shoppers report being a member of a loyalty scheme, compared to the global average of two-thirds. Only Finland is higher, with 94%. 

Despite this, loyalty cards are much less likely to impact purchasing in Britain – just half ( 51%) of British loyalty card holders will choose to buy from a retailer with a scheme over one without one (if all other factors are equal). This is the second lowest figure globally, behind Denmark. 

“Most UK retailers are likely to be surprised and disappointed to learn loyalty schemes only cause half of members to choose them over a competitor, and that’s if all other factors are equal”, said Mike Watkins, Nielsen’s UK head of retailer and business insight.

“Whether it’s because loyalty schemes aren’t offering the right rewards, are too difficult to redeem or there are simply too many of them to make a competitive difference, retailers need to be addressing it.”