Fuel loyalty schemes are deeply embedded in the habits of British petrol and diesel car owners. More than two in three drivers in this segment (68%) say they are members of at least one fuel loyalty programme, according to data from YouGov Profiles. Younger motorists lead the way, with 70% each of those aged 18-34 and 35-54 holding memberships, while uptake falls slightly to 66% among those aged over 55.

But the picture isn’t uniform. Certain car owners are more inclined towards these schemes than others. Audi drivers are the most likely to take part, with an impressive 82% saying they belong to a fuel loyalty programme. Hyundai (80%), Kia (78%) and Mercedes-Benz (76%) owners also over-index, compared to just about three in five Vauxhall (59%) and Toyota (62%) drivers, respectively.

Where drivers sign up

When it comes to the programmes themselves, the supermarket chains dominate. Tesco leads by a clear margin, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of fuel loyalty members signed up.

Nectar follows at 54%, while Morrisons More claims a third. Further down the list, Asda Rewards has a 22% share, while Shell Go+ (14%) and BPme (12%) follow among fuel-branded schemes. Texaco Star Rewards and other providers account for smaller proportions.

What drives participation

For motorists, the appeal lies firmly in tangible benefits. More than half of fuel loyalty members say that the quality of rewards (53%) and ease of redeeming rewards (53%) are the most important factors when choosing a scheme. A significant share also point to the selection of rewards (41%) as a key driver. Simplicity is another advantage — nearly three in ten highlight the ease of signing up (29%) as important, while smaller segments prioritise things like data security (21%), mobile app integration (19%) and availability of retailers (19%).

Different schemes, different expectations

Not all fuel loyalty programmes are evaluated in the same way. Drivers expect fuel-related savings across the board, but preferences diverge beyond that. Examining drivers’ preferred fuel loyalty reward options in context of which programmes they are subscribed to could help give an insight into what drives consumers towards certain programmes over the others.

Fuel price discounts are the dominant appeal, with 83% of Tesco members, 85% of Nectar members and as many as 89% of Texaco Star Rewards members saying this is their main attraction. Petrol station’s convenience store perks can also help drive membership – nearly a quarter of Asda Rewards members (24%) and Morrisons More members (23%) highlight offers within petrol station convenience stores, while Shell Go+ (36%) and BPme (35%) stand out for the same reason.

Some audiences look beyond fuel and in-store discounts. Texaco members are especially motivated by car-related perks, with more than a quarter (27%) citing them as a key draw, compared to 18% of Asda Rewards or BPme members. Niche but noteworthy segments are also emerging around alternative benefits: 12% of Texaco members point to EV charging offers, while 14% of BPme members and 13% of Shell Go+ members are interested in event access. A small but consistent minority — around 4–12% depending on scheme — also note charity donations as a reason to sign up.

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