Evolving trends in brand loyalty and consumer behavior

The voice of the consumer

We began surveying consumers in 2021 to understand the impact loyalty programs have on brand preference and the importance of key program features and benefits. After seeing significant interest in the findings, our latest consumer loyalty survey seeks to understand how preferences are evolving within a dynamic economic environment marked by rising inflation and geopolitical disruption.

Our consumer loyalty survey results revealed that now more than ever, it’s important for brands and retailers to account for changing consumer preferences to drive sustained engagement and value. What are consumers telling the industry? Five key findings on brand loyalty and consumer behavior emerged from our loyalty survey results:

Top five most important loyalty attributes

1. Keep it simple for me
2. Provide meaningful experiences for my personal data
3. Extend my benefits through a well-integrated credit card
4. Let me opt in for exclusivity
5. Help me support mission-driven causes

Optimize brand loyalty, boost consumer engagement

Consumers continue to reinforce what they look for when it comes to loyalty. In light of these trends, brands can propel their programs to the leading edge of their markets by tailoring strategies and experiences and carving out a differentiated space with members.

Want to explore the data further? If so, we’re here to help. Deloitte’s full suite of loyalty services helps brands optimize their programs at any point on their loyalty journey to offer compelling benefits and experiences, build sustaining relationships with consumers, and deliver outsized business impact.

Methodology

We surveyed 3,000+ US consumer representative of the US population across age, gender, race, and region. Each consumer was asked a series of questions around their loyalty behavior and preferences around loyalty programs for a specific industry.

Industries included in the survey:

• Airlines
• Hotels
• Off-price retail (e.g., discount, dollar)
• Convenience and gas stations
• Grocery stores
• Mass retail
• Pharmacy and drug stores
• Restaurants
• Retail banks
• Specialty retail (includes apparel and footwear, department stores, health, beauty and wellness, home goods and electronics, sports, leisure and hobbies)
• Transportation (e.g., ride share, car rental)

Get in touch

			Bobby Stephens Principal Consumer Loyalty Offering Deloitte Consulting LLP rostephens@deloitte.com +1 312 486 2455				Brendan Boerbaitz Senior Manager Consumer Loyalty Offering Deloitte Consulting LLP bboerbaitz@deloitte.com +1 202 664 2320				Michelle Malblanc Manager Consumer Loyalty Offering Deloitte Consulting LLP mmalblanc@deloitte.com +1 216 212 7273

The authors would like to thank Meghan Crawford and Anne Ridenhour for their collaboration on this piece.