Why are better experiences creating less loyal customers?
The loyalty programs are better. The forecourts are cleaner. The foodservice rivals QSR quality. Yet after analyzing over 10 billion transactions and surveying thousands of shoppers and retailers, one clear truth emerged in 2025: consumers are more uncommitted than ever.
Despite significant retailer investments in loyalty, pricing, and experience upgrades, current market conditions are fueling fragmentation rather than fixing it. Every transaction now requires a fresh fight to win. Here’s what Upside’s latest analysis reveals about today’s consumer.
The economic reality reshaping every fuel stop
Nearly half of consumers believe the economy worsened in 2025. Persistent high prices, a soft labor market, and ongoing tariff uncertainty are pushing households to reassess even routine purchases.
This caution shows up everywhere: smaller basket sizes, fewer impulse additions, and more deliberate trip planning. In fuel especially, many consumers treat every fill-up as a financial decision worth optimizing.
As customers scrutinize each purchase, traditional loyalty levers lose some of their pull — and every transaction becomes harder to win than it was last year.
The result: every visit is up for grabs
The data reveals how dramatically behavior has shifted. Consumers now frequent multiple fuel stations and c-stores per month, and they’re making these decisions with more intentionality.
Price has always mattered in fuel, but what’s changed is how actively customers compare — and how quickly they’ll switch for even small differences.
Five in ten fuel customers compare prices all or most of the time.
Meanwhile, channel-blurring is accelerating. C-stores compete directly with grocery stores and QSRs for meal dollars. That breakfast sandwich isn’t just competing with the convenience store down the street, but with McDonald’s, the grocery deli, and leftovers at home.
And while brand familiarity still matters, it no longer guarantees a return visit. Yesterday’s fuel stop doesn’t automatically earn today’s business.
How retailers can better engage uncommitted consumers
Uncommitted behavior creates challenges, but the data also points to several approaches that are showing promise across the industry:
Reduce friction in loyalty usage.
Many retailers have strong loyalty programs, but low engagement often stems from complexity. Programs that streamline enrollment, simplify redemption, and surface rewards at the pump or register see higher usage.
Capture cross-category opportunities.
As channel-blurring accelerates, foodservice is no longer just an add-on — it’s a legitimate competitor to QSRs and grocery delis. Retailers who highlight quality, value, and convenience in their food offerings are better positioned to capture incremental spend from customers already on-site.
Use personalization to influence decisions more effectively.
Broad discounts often subsidize visits that would have happened anyway. More targeted incentives — aligned with visit frequency, category preferences, or recent activity — are proving more efficient at prompting incremental trips.
A new baseline
Uncommitted behavior isn’t a temporary spike — it’s becoming the default way consumers shop. This shift will continue shaping how retailers compete in 2026. Operators who lean into easier loyalty usage, smarter personalization, and real-time decision influence will be best positioned to win visits in a landscape where every transaction is newly up for consideration.
