Scotland split by loyalty card use as in-store grocery shopping drops back to pre-pandemic levels

There’s a stark difference between Edinburgh and Glasgow shoppers. In Edinburgh, 73% will use a supermarket loyalty card every time they shop but 82% of Glasgow shoppers will take advantage of the discount card for groceries. This trend continues, as 71% of people in Edinburgh use their loyalty card every time they’re in a beauty salon, but only 55% of those in Glasgow will.

The perks vs privacy dilemma The research reveals that while discounts are still a primary motivator for shoppers, willingness to share certain information and the changing retail landscape is reshaping consumer loyalty.

Over half (55%) of Scots would be willing to exchange their email address to receive a 25% discount on their next shop, 48% to receive free products and 36% for free delivery. But Scots are sceptical about handing over the phone number.

Only 15% would be willing to exchange their number for a 25% discount, 16% to receive free products and 17% for free delivery. This is even lower for consumers exchanging their social media profiles. Only 4% would share their profile for a 25% discount and 3% would for free products and free delivery.

Kyle Hauptfleisch, Chief Consulting Officer, Daemon comments, “The data indicates Scottish consumers value email privacy, willing to share addresses for 25% discounts but not phone numbers and social media for free items. Retailers should focus promotions on email-based loyalty programmes to effectively engage this market segment while respecting their data privacy preferences.”

The online grocery opportunity The pandemic caused a seismic shift in grocery shopping habits with online shopping spiking between March 2020 and summer 2021. In that period, 14% did their shopping exclusively online, compared to 3% pre-pandemic. But Scots have returned to pre-pandemic shopping and 3% once again only shop exclusively online.

Just under half (45%) of Scots shop only in-store, with this figure being 40% in Edinburgh and 50% in Glasgow. Retailers face an uphill, but not impossible battle to persuade consumers to shop online. When asked what would make them shop online more frequently, 36% stated lower delivery fees, 26% said better deals online, 23% better product quality and 22% the removal of minimum spend requirement.

To turn the tide, retailers should focus on convenience, as 52% say that is the most important factor when choosing where to shop for groceries online. 41% say product availability, 40% price and 36% delivery experience. Hauptfleisch adds, “Scottish shoppers have returned to pre-pandemic in-store levels, but there's untapped potential online. While the pandemic drove e-commerce growth, consumers are now choosing physical stores again—yet many would shop online more if key barriers were addressed. Lower delivery fees, better deals, higher product quality, and no minimum spend requirements are top incentives for Scots to increase online purchases. For retailers, this is a clear opportunity: by tackling these pain points, brands can boost online engagement while capitalising on renewed in-store interest. Adapting to these priorities means meeting customers where they are—whether that’s in-store or online—with value and convenience.”