Why 82% of South Africans Can't Get Enough of Loyalty Programs

Loyalty is thriving in South Africa.

A remarkable 82% of South Africans are actively using loyalty programs—up from 76% last year. That means 4 in 5 consumers are engaging regularly with rewards platforms—an almost unheard-of level of long-term marketing engagement.

And the momentum is growing:
📈 35% say they’re using loyalty programs more than they did last year.

💳 The average South African is actively using 10.3 loyalty programs—not just signed up, but truly participating.

👫 Gender usage is now balanced, unlike in markets like the UK or Europe where male participation still lags.

🛒 This shift began during COVID-19 lockdowns, when more men took on household shopping—and the habit stuck.

South Africa’s numbers show truly exceptional engagement.

Loyalty has become part of everyday life—and for brands, that means one thing: keep innovating to stay relevant.

Udhara De Silva is the Head Loyalty Marketing for Singapore Airlines in Australia, being involved in the successful launch of Kris+ in in November 2023, and growing the Australian KrisFlyer member base to become the largest outside of Singapore and localising the global KrisFlyer programme content to resonate with Australian
In this episode, Charlie Hills is delighted to interview Madeline Shaw, the Marketing Director of Pets at Home. Madeline and her team develop and deliver the Pets Club programme for Pets at Home, the UK’s leading pet care business. The company is dedicated to providing the best products, services, and
Today's episode features Raffael Fappiano Neto, the Product Manager for Loyalty at Azul Airlines. Founded in 2008, Azul Airlines is now the largest airline in Brazil in terms of number of flights and cities served, and in 2020, they won the award for best airline in the world by TripAdvisor