Fuel & c-store loyalty programs score just 42.8 out of 100 on driving real behavior, new Upside research finds

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 13, 2026 – Upside, the digital marketplace for brick-and-mortar retail, today released Escaping the Loyalty Plateau, a new report examining why retail loyalty programs are finding it harder to drive the behavior change they were designed to produce. Based on survey data from more than 12,000 U.S. consumers and retailers, the report introduces a proprietary measure of loyalty's real-world impact and identifies the structural forces stalling it.

Its central finding: fuel and c-store loyalty has hit a "plateau." The category scores just 42.8 out of 100 on Upside's loyalty influence score — a proprietary measure of actual behavioral impact — even as the average member now belongs to 3.3 loyalty programs, up 26% since 2023. As shoppers spread themselves across more programs, no single one commands enough attention to change what they actually do.

Key findings for fuel & c-store operators

42.8 out of 100: Upside's loyalty influence score for fuel & c-store programs, measuring actual behavioral impact. Programs primarily move visit frequency and word-of-mouth referrals — but are least effective at increasing total spending.

3.3 programs: the average fuel & c-store loyalty member now belongs to — up 26% since 2023, meaning any single program commands a smaller and smaller slice of their attention.

37-point gap: between the share of consumers who say loyalty matters and those who regularly use their fuel or c-store program.

56% of fuel & c-store consumers: are "preference-first" shoppers — those with both high brand affinity and high price sensitivity. They are the most responsive to loyalty incentives, yet most programs are built to reward already-committed customers, missing the persuadable majority.

30+ percentage points: reduction in month-one churn among consumers who supplemented a fuel loyalty program with a broader marketplace platform, compared to those using neither.

Why enrollment isn't enough

The barriers to joining a loyalty program are low — a phone number at the pump, maybe an app download — so as more fuel and c-store brands launch structurally similar programs, consumers aren't choosing between them. They're joining all of them, accumulating memberships without committing to any. The report also finds these programs mostly influence where consumers fill up, not how much they spend: loyalty consolidates spend within the category rather than expanding it, which caps the revenue impact operators expect.

The path forward

The report urges operators to shift focus from growing enrollment to influencing the 56% of "preference-first" consumers in their category — shoppers with real affinity for their brand who haven't fully committed. Upside's transaction data points to how: consumers who supplemented a loyalty program with a broader marketplace platform saw month-one churn fall by more than 30 percentage points compared to those using neither. Reaching consumers outside owned channels can extend a program's influence beyond what enrollment alone achieves.

The full report includes a breakdown of consumer segments, vertical-level influence scores, and retention data across millions of transactions. Download the Escaping the Loyalty Plateau report at upside.com/reports/escaping-the-loyalty-plateau.

FOR MEDIA, THE REPORT CAN BE ACCESSED HERE.

ABOUT UPSIDE

Upside is a digital marketplace that connects millions of consumers with brick-and-mortar retailers nationwide. Since 2016, Upside’s personalized offers have empowered individuals to gain greater purchasing power for their essential needs while helping businesses achieve measurable profits. Billions of dollars in commerce run through the Upside platform annually, directly benefiting retailers, consumers, and sustainability initiatives. For more information, visit www.upside.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
​Jane Coloccia ​
​JC Communications, LLC
​917-930-0062
​Jane@JCCommunicationsllc.com