Loyalty cards remain very present, but they are no longer the most profitable tool for reducing the cost of shopping. A simple reflex could well save you more.
For a long time, we presented our card at the checkout, we accumulated a few euros, we waited for a discount or a voucher. This system still works, but it is no longer the number one lever to lower the rating. Today, in-store promotions are renewed quickly, operations last only a few days and certain reductions only concern a specific store or even a minimum basket. In this context, a new habit could well be a game-changer.
Today, brands speak directly to their customers, without using paper brochures. They are now focusing on more targeted, faster offers. A discount on baby products will not be presented in the same way as an offer on fresh products or hygiene. The goal is no longer just to attract people to the shelves, but to push the right offer to the right person, at the right time.
Before that, everyone received basically the same promotions in the mailbox. From now on, two neighbors who use the same store may not benefit from the same advantages in the same week. One will see an offer on coffee, another on laundry detergent, a third on pet products. The reductions are therefore less visible collectively and more disseminated individually. This is also why some people feel like they no longer do as much business as before. They continue to use their card, check out as normal, then later discover that a discount existed elsewhere or that a coupon needed to be activated before purchasing.
Thus, in 2026, supermarkets reward connected customers more than simply loyal customers. Paper catalogs have lost ground and environmental issues have accelerated the movement. Instead, promotions exist digitally, more easily updated and viewable at any time. The most effective way to save on your shopping is to download the application from your usual store on your phone and then log in with your loyalty number. This is where the most interesting offers are now found.
The most attentive consumers thus combine one-off promotions, personalized vouchers and loyalty credits. Those who simply show their card are benefiting from part of the system, not the whole. This also allows brands to add flash operations, correct a date, launch an offer on the weekend or push a good last minute deal.
