11Ants 2025 Loyalty Sentiment Report Reveals the Power of Knowing Your Shopper

Auckland, New Zealand – June 17, 2025 – 11Ants, the leader in self-service retail analytics for grocers released its landmark 2025 Loyalty Sentiment Report, one of the largest studies ever conducted on grocery shopper loyalty in the United States. Surveying 17,325 randomly selected U.S. shoppers, the report delivers actionable insights into how loyalty programs influence shopping behavior, what drives shopper choice, and how well retailers truly know their customers.

Key Findings: Loyalty in a Changing Landscape. Loyalty Program Membership Isn’t Universal: 55% of shoppers are not members of any grocery loyalty program, but among those who are, 74% belong to more than one—raising important questions about what “loyalty” really means in today’s marketplace

Active Engagement: 93% of loyalty program members are likely or very likely to swipe their card at checkout, with older generations showing the highest engagement Location, Price, and Loyalty Drive Choice: Convenience (72.3%) is the top reason shoppers choose a supermarket, followed by price (61.1%) and the loyalty program itself (59.6%). Product range ranks much lower (24.7%)

Rewards Matter: 86% of shoppers understand their preferred program’s benefits well or very well, and only 20% feel neutral or negative about the rewards o^ered—indicating that most see real value in their program

Programs Influence Behavior: 61% of shoppers say loyalty programs make them shop more often, and 46% say they spend more when they shop

Shoppers Want Practical Rewards: The most preferred rewards are in-store credit (35%), product-specific discount vouchers (30%), and fuel discounts (20%)

Personalization Gap: Only 25% of shoppers believe their primary grocer knows them well, signalling a major opportunity for retailers to deepen customer relationships and drive loyalty

Retailer Rankings and What Matters Most: The report ranks 43 major grocery retailers based on program e^ectiveness and shopper perception. FOOD CITY / KVAT Foods, Kroger, and Costco lead in overall program impact, while Target, H-E-B, and Walmart top the “Know Your Customer” score, reflecting how well shoppers feel understood by their retailer

A direct relationship was found between how well shoppers feel known and how often they shop and spend. Retailers that invest in understanding their customers better are likely to see increased visits and higher basket sizes

Insights for Grocers: Tom Fuyala, Chief Executive at 11Ants said

“Loyalty programs have become a cornerstone of modern retail marketing, but their true value is unlocked only when they help retailers truly know their customers. Without strong data and analytics infrastructure, even the most popular loyalty initiatives risk leaving significant revenue and engagement opportunities untapped. In today’s competitive landscape, loyalty and analytics must go hand in hand.”

About the Survey: The online survey explored shopper attitudes toward loyalty programs, including program understanding, reward value, card usage, preferred rewards, and perceptions of retailer knowledge. The full survey methodology and detailed rankings are available in the full report.

To download the report visit www.11ants.com/loyaltysurvey

Contact:

11Ants Media Relations

Email: tim.nichols@11ants.com

Phone: +64 22 6424657