For the first time in the six years SAP has tracked it, loyalty built on discounts and rewards has fallen below 40%. Nearly a third of consumers (32%) have switched brands because their loyalty rewards were hard to use. At the same time, a third already trust AI to complete a purchase for them, and 30% have left a brand over the way it uses AI.
The Global Customer Loyalty Index 2026 shows what builds loyalty, what breaks it, and how far customers are willing to let AI decide for them. See how your decisions on rewards, personalisation and AI compare with what consumers expect.
More than 10,000 consumers · four markets · July 2026
Five numbers everyone who runs a loyalty programme should know
Key findings from the report:
Only 38% of consumers now attribute their loyalty to discounts and rewards, down from 56% in 2022. Loyalty built on trust is growing again.
Six in ten consumers are more loyal to brands that make them feel personally valued. Product quality remains the number one reason to stay.
A third of consumers trust an AI assistant to complete a purchase on their behalf. Consumers who shop with AI are more loyal (78%) than those who don’t (69%).
30% of consumers have switched brands because of how a brand uses AI. Among Gen Z, it’s 45%.
Only 4% of consumers want AI to shop fully on its own. 60% want shared control: AI suggests, the customer decides.