Key stat: Efficient and enjoyable digital experiences are the top loyalty program priority across every generation, cited by 77% of millennials, 75% of Gen Z, 66% of Gen X, and even 45% of baby boomers, according to a January report from Deloitte.

Beyond the chart:

• The app preference runs deeper than just convenience. Some 64% of consumers prefer apps over email for loyalty program interactions, and more than half of loyalty members use those apps at least weekly, per EY's 2025 Loyalty Market Study.
• Meanwhile, brands are still misreading what keeps consumers coming back. Some 65% of marketers believe customers return because of "brand love," yet fewer than 1 in 4 consumers cite emotional attachment as a driver, per Razorfish and GWI.

Use this chart: Drop this in your next loyalty strategy or CRM meeting to show that digital experience is the floor. Use the generational breakdown to benchmark where your program is falling short, and show leadership which improvements will move the needle across the widest possible audience.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• What the Rise of GenAI Assistants Means for Loyalty Programs (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Retail Mobile App Shopping 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the January 2026 Deloitte report titled "The 2025 Deloitte Consumer Loyalty Program Survey." 5,564 US adults ages 18+ who are loyalty program members were surveyed online during September-October 2025.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.