The Loyalty Newswire from The Wise Marketer
From the Editor
Welcome to 2026! We hope you all enjoyed some quiet time during the holidays and are refreshed and ready for this new year.
We took a week off ourselves, so this week’s Newswire compiles news from the past two weeks as well as delivers some useful reports on 2025 summary activity and forecasts for the new year. Make sure and scroll to the bottom to catch up on all the news.
January is a busy month to start the year, with our highlight being the Wiser Retail Insights Forum™ 2026 Coming to Nashville, TN on January 27. Please click here to apply to attend.
We are here to help you succeed. Let us know how we can help.
Bill Hanifin, Managing Editor, The Wise Marketer
Short Takes
- [Global] Five Reasons AI Is Not Like a Calculator
- [Global] Why Rewards programs are turning into data-harvesting machines
- [India] Millennium and Taj link loyalty programmes
- [US] PAR Technology Releases New Data on How Loyalty Programs Influence Consumer Choices Amid Cost-Conscious Dining Trends
- [US] Loop Neighborhood Markets Debuts Retail Media Network
- [US] 26 New Airline, Hotel And Credit Card Promotions And Perks For 2026
Wiser Retail Insights Forum™ 2026 Coming to Nashville, TN on January 27
Presented by Exchange Solutions, Ebbo and The Wise Marketer, Wiser Forums™ is a half-day event presenting findings from a 2025 consumer research study in convenience retail and home improvement retail, the inflection point in a longitudinal study exploring the connection between brand loyalty, customer experience and programmatic loyalty. Register Here.
This powerful event is an opportunity for business leaders, marketers and decision-makers who seek a better understanding of how consumers think about their loyalty to brands. This is an opportunity for retail business leaders that want to create insights-led engagement and experiences for their customers.
Refuel - South Carolina-based Convenience Retailer, Launches New Loyalty Program
“This new program represents a significant evolution in how we reward our customers,” said Carissa Cardy, director of marketing. “We focused on eliminating complexity, accelerating value, and ensuring that every interaction feels intuitive and rewarding. The result is a loyalty program that works harder for our members and better reflects how they shop and fuel today.”
The program builds on a $.03/gallon discount for members by allowing members to convert points earned for in store purchases into additional fuel savings. Members who spend $25 in-store will automatically receive 10 cents per gallon in fuel savings at the pump. Read about the program here.
Kroger Expands Food Access with Launch of Verified Savings Program
US grocery chain Kroger announced the “Verified Savings Program” that provides a 20% discount on fruits and vegetables and half-off Boost by Kroger Plus memberships to customers who are recipients of various government assistance programs including SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and more.
"Making fresh food more affordable and equipping more customers with free grocery delivery is an incredible step in expanding food access," said Carlo Baldan, Kroger group vice president of Fresh Merchandising.
New eBook: The A to Z of Customer Loyalty
This new report outlines 26 practical capabilities, from AI-powered personalization and connected data to real-time promotions, retail media monetization and zero-party insights that together enable retailers to improve margin protection and measure true incremental behavior.
Retail loyalty has been stuck in the same feedback loop for years: leaders agree that points and discounts are no longer enough to influence customer behavior and justify program investments, yet many programs still rely on them. For retailers who are rebuilding an existing program or launching a new program, the guide offers a practical framework for where to focus for the greatest measurable business impact and what capabilities matter most. Download “The A to Z of Customer Loyalty” here.
Google Reveals The Top Searches Of 2025
Google’s AI assistant Gemini became the top trending search globally, showing how widely AI tools were embraced throughout the year. The rest of the top 10 was filled with sports, with cricket matches between India and England, the Club World Cup, and the Asia Cup capturing a lot of public interest.
Mikey Madison and Pedro Pascal led global and US actor searches following breakthrough performances in major releases.
Research from 84.51: Consumers striving for a healthier 2026
According to the latest Consumer Digest from Kroger Precision Marketing powered by 84.51°, households are planning to eat out less, focus on nutrition basics and rein in spending. This year, 57% of shoppers plan to celebrate NYE with a quiet night at home.
Nearly half of households say they’ll set New Year’s resolutions for 2026, prioritizing physical and mental health, finances, self-care and relationships. Even with good intentions, consumers say motivation (44%), time management (39%), routine changes (34%), financial constraints (32%), and competing priorities (29%) stand in the way.
Back by Popular Demand - CLMP™ Certification in Dubai – 10 – 12 February 2026!
The response has been overwhelming! Due to incredible demand from loyalty professionals across the region, QBF Consulting is hosting the next Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ (CLMP™) program in Dubai, so save the dates 10-12 February 2026.
Register now and secure your passport to Lifelong Learning! With Loyalty Academy Lifetime Membership, you are not just learning—you are staying ahead, always. This isn’t just a course—it’s an investment in YOU.
New India CLMP™ Workshop on Feb 12-13, 2026
Certified education partner Strategic Caravan will be hosting the India CLMP™ Loyalty Academy workshop in Delhi February 12-13. Early bird pricing is available through 13th January 2026.
Register here. This is a workshop designed and delivered by practitioners for practitioners, so expect a high level of interactive conversation, exercises, and group work. Give yourself a gift to start the new year and accelerate your career in customer loyalty and digital marketing.
Visa Unveils New Global Stablecoins Advisory Practice
As the stablecoin market cap surpasses $250 billion, Visa’s settlement volume has accelerated, now reaching a $3.5 billion annualized run rate as of November 30. To help brands manage growth in this new area of payments, Visa announced the launch of its Stablecoins Advisory Practice.
The new value-added service offering by Visa Consulting and Analytics (VCA) provides actionable insights and recommendations to guide banks, fintechs, merchants, and businesses of all sizes on market fit, strategy, and implementation.
Stay Abreast of Global Economic Trends with McKinsey Publishing’s year in charts
McKinsey Global Publishing’s data visualization team shares a curated selection of the most compelling data it worked with this year—spotlighting the major themes that defined 2025. This summary of the 2025 “Week in Charts” series illustrates the trends driving a rapidly changing world.
From artificial intelligence to population transitions and shifting trade routes, the forces reshaping the global economy are accelerating—and intertwining. This year’s charts reveal how innovation, demographics, and geopolitics are redrawing the contours of growth.
The Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends For 2026
In this survey of the Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends for 2026, you’ll see a composition of the following: Conversational search rewriting SEO; video turning fully into commerce; privacy and data ownership as a competitive advantage; retail media networks moving from niche to mainstream; creators and communities driving co-creation.
Adding to the list: AI becoming the operating system of marketing; measurement morphing as attribution crumbles; immersive gamification emerging; and above all, the human edge – the talent and culture that will decide who wins.
New Visa Report: Decoding AI Adoption in the Nordic Retail Banking Sector
The new report evaluates the AI maturity of 44 Nordic incumbent and challenger banks, uncovering critical insights that will shape future competitiveness. Key findings reveal that neobanks are outperforming traditional players in translating AI investments into profitability.
Customer service currently delivers the greatest value from AI, with 64% of banks reporting high or transformative improvements, followed closely by product development at 59%. To thrive, banks must articulate a clear AI strategy, secure executive sponsorship, and collaborate with trusted partners to navigate the complexities of this fast-evolving technology.
International Loyalty Awards Update
Entries for the International Loyalty Awards officially closed on December 12, 2025, but the excitement is just beginning to build. This year saw an incredible range of submissions, showcasing loyalty programmes and initiatives from across every continent. Finalists will be announced on 30th January, so stay tuned to see who made it to the next stage!
Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be a landmark year for the loyalty community. Loyalty Connect Global expands to two flagship editions: Dubai and the United States, bringing the world’s loyalty leaders together at major global hubs.
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