Six days after the new Spar Rewards was launched, more than a million customers registered for the loyalty programme. This time, the success of the programme is probably because the Spar Rewards card is not store-based (or limited to affiliate stores) and offers far more than before.

The Rewards card now offers shoppers instant savings on hundreds of products in Spar and TOPS at Spar stores throughout South Africa. Less than a week after the launch of the revamped programme, card registrations had reached 1,035,785.

The Spar Rewards programme has been running since 2015, offering customers e-coupons providing discounts on shoppers’ favourite products. Now, when swiping their new card, all customers will pay the same discounted price on promotional products no matter the store they’re shopping in.

Natasha Talbot, loyalty manager for The Spar Group, said: “In light of the escalating cost of food and grocery essentials, it has become increasingly important for us to support our communities in affording these necessities, and that is precisely what our new programme aims to achieve.

“We are working with suppliers to offer shoppers the very best savings on hundreds of different brands each month – with every saving automatically reflected on our shoppers’ till slips.”

Specials will be clearly marked on products in-store and cardholders will need to swipe their cards at the till point to qualify for the Spar Rewards price.

“Signing up or switching from the old to new card is free and easy. Our registrations have already surpassed the two million mark since launch, with 40% of those being new customers who have never been part of the Spar Rewards programme before,” Talbot said.

Cardholders will be automatically entered into Spar competitions like Win-A-Car and Grand Cash Giveaway, and – which is particularly helpful if you’ve forgotten to bring your wallet or card – have access to a “spare” virtual Spar Rewards card through the Spar SA app.

There’s also access to unique education opportunities through Upskillist, also on the app. The global online education platform provides more than 70 business courses and 100 university-certified courses ranging from photography to digital marketing, business and analytics, health and other qualifications.

“We’re very excited about our partnership with Upskillist, which will give our Spar Rewards cardholders three month’s free access to study as much, or as many courses, as they want within the period. Our shoppers are important to us and we hope that this benefit will go far in supporting their educational ambitions as so many in our communities struggle with unemployment,” Talbot explained, adding that other features and benefits are lined up to roll out over the next few months.

The new Spar Rewards programme is available in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and eSwatini. Customers can get their new cards in-store and register to use it in one of the following ways:

• Adding Spar (0860 313 141) as a WhatsApp contact and saying “Hi!”
• Scanning the QR code on the back of your new Spar Rewards card and follow the instructions (available in-store) and sign up online.
• Dialling **120*7070*CARDNUMBER# and follow the simple instructions.
• Downloading the Spar SA app from your app store.

In November last year, the Truth & BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper of the most popular loyalty programmes in the country revealed that 73% of economically active South Africans are using loyalty programmes.

It said that consumers in SA are using 9.2 programmes on average, which has consistently increased year-on-year. These loyalty programmes are changing behaviour, affecting where consumers shop, which products they buy, where they buy fuel, where they bank and other behaviours.

All loyalty programmes in the top 10 – barring FNB eBucks – were issued by retail brands. Clicks ClubCard was rated number one, followed by PnP Smart Shopper, Checkers Xtra Savings, Dischem Benefit, Woolworths Rewards and Spar Rewards.

The most used programmes by category are: Clicks Clubcard – retail, FNB eBucks – financial services, Spur Family Card – QSR/restaurants, Legacy Lifestyle – travel, MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet – ‘other’.

Discovery Vitality and Standard Bank UCount were rated the winning loyalty brands in terms of being indispensable to their members. DM