South Africa’s top loyalty programmes offer their members substantial benefits and savings. Here’s a roundup of the best options.
South African loyalty programmes save consumers hundreds of thousands of rand every year. By using your loyalty card at retail points, or managing your bank and other accounts strategically, you can earn discounts, cashback, rewards, and other benefits tailored to your needs, preferences, lifestyles, and spending habits.
If you’re hunting for value in a tough economic climate, it pays to make the most of these programmes. We compare the various offerings to help you attain top value.
Tip: Using a savings calculator can help you work towards your life goals.
Why loyalty programmes are popular
South African consumers use loyalty programmes to help them cope with harsh economic realities, says Mogorosi Mashilo, managing director of online research company TrendER.
Around 76% of South Africans take advantage of these programmes, according to the Truth and BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper 2023/4.
On average, economically active consumers use around nine loyalty programmes, Mashilo points out.
“Several factors influence the popularity of these programmes,” he notes. “They’re accessible thanks to digital platforms and mobile apps, they’re convenient and easy to use, and they offer incentives for customers to remain loyal to particular brands.”
Loyalty programmes also highlight the importance of value and cost savings, says Mashilo. “They help customers to stretch their budgets when accessing discounts and rewards.”
The best loyalty programmes
Here is an overview of the loyalty programmes most frequently used by economically active South African consumers.
| Loyalty programme |
How it works |
| Clicks ClubCard |
Cost: Free
Card: Clicks ClubCard
Validity: Cashback expires 12 months after the issue date
How to earn reward points
- Earn cashback when you present the card at pay points
- Spend R250 or more and your points become cashback, loaded onto your ClubCard every second month (the “qualification period”)
- Link your card to your account when shopping online
Benefits
- Clicks cardholders: You earn 2% cashback on most purchases at Clicks. Once spending exceeds R1,000, you earn 4% for the rest of the qualification period
- SeniorsClub: Members aged 60 and older earn 4% cashback on Wednesdays
- BabyClub members: Earn 4% cashback on most baby products. Other benefits include an SMS baby-vaccination reminder service, expert advice, and exclusive competitions
- Discovery Vitality members: Get 25% back on HealthyCare products with Vitality HealthyCare. Boost your reward by up to 50% with Discovery Bank
- Momentum Multiply members: Get up to 10% in Multiply cashback and 4% in Clicks cashback
- Earn 20 points per transaction on more than 600 EasyPay bill issuer payments and prepaid service providers on the Clicks website and app
- Flexicare health insurance: ClubCard members get 10% cashback on monthly premiums
- Engen: Earn one point for every litre of fuel (excluding payments made using fleet and petrol cards) at nearly 1,000 participating Engen sites
- Europcar rental car rewards partner: Receive 10% cashback on car hire when booking online using your Clicks ClubCard
- Earn between 2% and 10% cashback at ARC, Sorbet, The Body Shop, and Spec-Savers
|
| FNB eBucks |
Cost: Free to join
Card: eBucks Rewards card
Validity: No expiry date
How to earn reward points
- Earn and spend eBucks at more than 30 online or in-store partners when you pay with your FNB or RMB Private Bank card
- Use your eBucks when you book flights, travel packages, and car hire, using the FNB or RMB Private Bank app, or the eBucks website
- Maximise your eBucks earn by reaching and maintaining reward level 5 (rewards tiers go from level 1 to 5)
Benefits
- Get up to R8/litre back in eBucks at Engen per month
- Get up to 15% back in eBucks when buying any product at Checkers and Shoprite, health and beauty items at Clicks, or devices and accessories at iStore
- FNB Aspire account customers benefit from up to R450 back in eBucks monthly when using FNB partners
- Members aged over 60 years get double eBucks when shopping at Clicks on Wednesdays
- Easy PAYU account customers who use their card to spend R200 within a month at Shoprite’s Usave get a R20 groceries voucher
- A R500 grocery voucher or R1,500 shoe voucher for Easy Smart and Aspire customers is available annually via Boost My Rewards
- Easy Smart customers can get R50 back in eBucks monthly when shopping at Checkers, Shoprite and Usave, Clicks, and Intercape
- Get up to R50 off bus tickets through QuickBus by booking on the FNB app
Travel rewards
This benefit includes up to 40% off (excluding all taxes) for Premier, Private, and Private Wealth clients booking selected international and domestic flights, bus tickets, and domestic car hire through eBucks Travel, and complimentary SLOW transit lounge visits
Family banking and value-added benefits
Qualify for discounts and gifts at Netflix, Spotify, Kauai, the Entertainer on the FNB/RMP Private Bank App, Wimpy at participating Engen 1 Stops, eBucks Gaming, Starbucks, guard.me, FNB Life, Extramarks, Udemy, Snapplify, and FNB Connect |
| Checkers, Shoprite, and Sixty60 Xtra Savings |
Cost: Xtra Savings: free; Xtra Savings Plus: R99 monthly, including unlimited, free Sixty60 deliveries
Card: Obtain the rewards card in-store or get it delivered with your Sixty60 order
How to earn reward points
- Use your card at the till point or on the Sixty60 app, and instant cash savings are deducted from your bill
- Link your card to your account when shopping on the app
Benefits
- Instant cash savings on specified products, personalised offers on products customers buy, and more
|
| Dis-Chem Loyalty Benefit Programme |
Cost: Free
Card: Dis-Chem Benefit card
Validity: Points are valid for 24 months
How to earn reward points
- Swipe your card in-store
- Link your card to your account when shopping on the app or online
Benefits
- Get 1.5% back in benefit rewards on qualifying purchases when you present your card in-store or online
- Redeem benefit rewards against your purchase by informing the cashier you would like to pay with your rewards
- If you shop online, pay with your rewards at check-out
- Earn additional points through partner programmes, including Absa Rewards, Capitec Live Better, Discovery Vitality, Momentum Multiply, Sanlam Reality, School-Days, TotalEnergies, UCount Rewards, and Legacy Lifestyle
- Earn additional rewards via Dis-Chem’s Baby Programme, FOR YOUTH Programme, 60 Plus Programme, and Beautiful Woman Programme
- Get automatic entry into competitions, a free Better magazine every quarter, exclusive event invitations, and a free baby bag when pregnant
|
| TFG Rewards (The Foschini group) |
Cost: Free
Card: TFG Rewards card
Validity: Instant savings at retail points
How to earn reward points
- Present your card to unlock savings at more than 25 retail brands, such as Sportscene, Foschini, Markham, @home, and American Swiss
- Rewards benefits will soon be extended to Coricraft, Volpes, Dial-a-Bed and The Bed Store
Benefits
- Personalised vouchers
- Benefits apply to all lifestyle categories, including clothing, footwear, jewellery, cosmetics, sportswear, technology, products, homeware, and furniture
|
| Woolworths WRewards |
Cost: Free
Card: Smart Shopper
Validity: Points are valid for 12 months
How to earn reward points
- Swipe your WRewards card when you pay to save on selected Woolworths items, and benefit from promotions
- Link your card to your Woolworths online profile to save when shopping on the Woolworths app or online
Benefits
- Receive vouchers when you reach specific spending goals
- Take part in Play & Win competitions and win guaranteed prizes, gift cards, and cash
- Stand a chance to win R50,000 cash every day you shop
- VIP members receive a welcome voucher of R75 off a R350 purchase, a 10%-off birthday voucher, bonus Play & Win games, exclusive event invitations, and surprise VIP vouchers and offers
|
| Pick n Pay Smart Shopper |
Cost: Free
Card: Smart Shopper
Validity: Points are valid for 12 months
How to earn points
- Swipe your Smart Shopper card at Pick n Pay till points and Pick n Pay partner businesses
- Link your card to your account when shopping on the app or online
Benefits
- Points are used as cashback for future transactions and can be spent in-store or online
- Points can also be switched with Pick n Pay partners’ rewards, or donated to charity
- Pick n Pay offers personalised discounts on Smart Shoppers’ preferred items
Partner benefits
- Discovery: Get up to 75% back on healthy food at Pick n Pay
- Momentum Multiply: Get up to 10% in cashback
- Absa Rewards: Receive up to 30% in cashback when you shop at Pick n Pay stores nationwide and swipe with your Absa debit or credit card
- Standard Bank UCount rewards: Get up to 20% back in UCount rewards points on groceries via Choose Your Own Rewards, by swiping your qualifying Standard Bank card when shopping at Pick n Pay
- Earn bonus points through TymeBank and BP
Smart Shopper clubs
- Join the Wine Club, Pet Club, Baby Club, or Coffee Club to earn extra Smart Shopper points on all products, qualify for exclusive discounts, and get access to members-only Smart Shopper events
Smart Shopper app
- Track your points and personalised discounts and vouchers through the app. You can also see your point balance, manage your vouchers, register your card, and get digital receipts. Look out for Smart Shopper Happy Hour discounts, and access the "Smart Hopper" game for a chance to win vouchers.
|
| SPAR Rewards |
Cost: Free
Card: SPAR Rewards
Validity: SPAR Rewards prices are valid for as long as promotions run
How to earn reward points
- Swipe your card to earn cashback at tills and receive exclusive SPAR Rewards prices.
Benefits:
- Save on all promotional items at any store countrywide
- Get automatic entry into SPAR competitions
- A “spare” virtual SPAR Rewards card is available on the SPAR SA app
- Get access to education through SPAR’s partnership with Upskillist. SPAR Rewards cardholders get three months’ free access to study as many courses as they want
|
Which loyalty programmes come out tops, and why?
The Truth and BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper 2023/4 indicates that economically active consumers’ most frequently used loyalty programme is Checkers Xtra Savings, which has a marginal lead over Clicks ClubCard (0.4%).
Both programmes are used by 78% of the economically active population, followed by Pick n Pay Smart Shopper (68%), Dis-Chem Loyalty Benefit (64%), and Woolworths WRewards (49%).
Cashback and discounts provide the biggest incentive to belong to these programmes, indicating a direct link between membership and cash savings.
The consistent delivery of valued services and products keeps customers loyal, says Mark Schefermann, managing partner and co-founder of Lucky Beard creative consultancy.
“Often, brands tend to overly complicate products, with numerous tiers and hurdles, which can diminish participation,” he says.
“There should be a straightforward process by which customers can easily gauge the benefits they accrue while participating in the programme.”
Personalising programmes also leads to increased engagement, Schefermann concludes.
Tip: Making good money choices helps you create a better financial future. Find out more about savings and investments.
