A Christmas survey by Global Prepaid Exchange, found that 75% of us now have 3 or more loyalty cards and nearly half of us (41%) wouldn’t leave home without one.

The survey found that loyalty cards are now used by nearly all of us, with 91% of survey respondents reporting that they use a loyalty card when shopping for food. The savviest shoppers surveyed said they often saved up their points to buy something specific, and would actually choose to shop somewhere they had a loyalty card over another store.

Kevin Harrington, managing director of Global Prepaid Exchange, says: “Loyalty cards use has exploded recently and they have really helped supermarkets know their customers and incentivise them. Some worried that customers were less happy about the information that was being collected about them but 70% of those surveyed actually agreed that loyalty schemes help retailers better understand their needs.”

Organisations like Prepay Solutions and The Logic Group are now developing more technologically advanced loyalty schemes that use Smartphone technology. These innovations look set to transform loyalty schemes and increase our interaction with them.

Kevin Harrington adds: “These innovations are changing the way we interact with brands as they are now able to offer prepaid incentives. Retailers who prompt shoppers with targeted offers, that are easily accessed, whilst they are physically in store, increase the likelihood of making a sale, as many brands have already discovered.

“I’m really pleased that the survey found that most customers will welcome this type of targeting – it is now for the retailers to take advantage of this massive opportunity.”