Transforming Loyalty from Goodwill to Growth

How to turn loyalty from a cost of doing business into a source of competitive advantage

As consumers seek more value for the price paid, loyalty programs could prove to be the differentiator. Today’s consumers expect relevance, recognition, and seamless experiences, and their loyalty can shift in an instant. Most loyalty programs reward past behavior. That is not where loyalty creates value. Today, loyalty is about influencing what customers do next, where they go, how often they return, and what they choose to buy. For Nordic brands competing in some of Europe’s most digitally mature consumer markets, the stakes are particularly high.

It is time to transform loyalty from goodwill to growth.

From “nice-to-have” to strategic lever for growth

The loyalty landscape is shifting fast: household cost pressures squeeze discretionary spending, media attention is fragmented, AI changes how customers interact with brands and spontaneous store visits decline. You can no longer take brand loyalty for granted; it has moved from a “nice‑to‑have” to a strategic lever for growth. Loyalty programs that begin with rewards only drive short-term transactional loyalty. Customers get instant value when they spend with your brand, such as points or cash-back. The next generation of loyalty programmes embed your brand in customers’ everyday lives and identity, reflecting their values, choices and aspirations. For Nordic consumers, who value authenticity and shared purpose, the emotional side of loyalty matters even more. 60 % of consumers modify what and how much they spend to maximize loyalty benefits, creating a clear opportunity to win back both new and existing customers. As we transition to agentic commerce, loyalty becomes a critical defence strategy: strong, direct relationships ensure customers come to you, safeguarding future revenue and deepening long‑term value.

60 % of consumers modify what and how much they spend to maximize loyalty benefits

Six drivers of loyalty that will accelerate growth

Benchmarked across 150+ global loyalty programmes, Deloitte has identified six loyalty drivers that should be part of your loyalty programme:

Earn and redeem

Financial rewards remain the most important feature of loyalty programs, driving 80 % members to join the program. Financial rewards and flexible ways to redeem earnings drive repeat purchases and motivate customers to accelerate earnings. As households’ budgets shrink, customers become more financially smart, looking for bundles and promotions.

Personalization

Personalised content, offers and experiences drive relevance over time and increase a sense of recognition, making customers feel valued. By recognizing meaningful moments, progress or goals along the member journey, brands can strengthen long-term loyalty. Our research shows that less than half of mature brands offer personalisation, and those who do show faster revenue growth. A gap that represents both a risk and an opportunity for Nordic brands willing to invest.

Partnerships

Partnerships that unlock rewards, shared benefits and exclusive experiences drive engagement across the ecosystem. Brands increasingly partner with sports teams, event venues, and food and beverage providers to offer special access and exclusive experiences.

Membership tiers

Paid membership tiers and status tiers that unlock additional benefits make most customers feel genuinely appreciated. Winning loyalty programs offer top customers access to exclusive events and experiences, upgrades, early sale access and white-glove service to build belonging and recognition.

Habitual engagement

Experiences and mechanisms designed to drive frequent, repeat interactions over time builds habits and embeds the brand into members’ everyday routines.

Community & social

Social mechanisms connect members and reinforce engagement through shared participation. Community and social should be used to amplify other mechanisms rather than acting as a primary driver of loyalty.

Integrate AI in your loyalty programme

Loyalty is one of the clearest areas where AI adds value for Consumer brands, so it must be part of any modern loyalty strategy. Static designs and quarterly insights are already obsolete; to compete, brands need a single, unified view of customers that enables personalisation at scale and automation of rewards and redemptions across channels. AI should power real‑time activation, sensing customer moments and delivering the right offer instantly, while continuous learning ensures the programme improves with every interaction. Nordic Brands that move now will convert today’s members into tomorrow’s advocates.

How we can help to build loyalty for the future

Whether you’re looking to redesign your member experience, modernize your platform, or activate insights with AI, Deloitte can help you transform loyalty from goodwill to growth. Deloitte brings the full range of capabilities to move loyalty forward, spanning strategy, technology, operations, and design. Our proprietary model maps the key levers for creating a market-leading loyalty program. Every recommendation is grounded in rigorous loyalty research and benchmarks of 150+ global loyalty programmes, giving clients the confidence that strategic choices are backed by real consumer evidence.

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Transforming Loyalty from Goodwill to Growth