Loyalty card and referral: what changes for consumers

The next-generation loyalty card is making its mark this summer at several major French retailers and banks, alongside particularly generous referral offers. Between the overhaul of the points program at a popular discounter and referral bonuses that climb to several hundred euros in the banking sector, consumer habits are changing fast. An overview of the concrete changes to know before the back-to-school period.

A completely redesigned points program at Lidl

The retailer Lidl has shifted its Lidl Plus app to a much simpler points accrual system: every euro spent at the checkout now automatically earns points, with no product or department conditions. New registrants receive a 50-point welcome bonus as soon as their account is activated.

• Point validity extended to 24 months, twice as long as the average of competing programs with annual validity.
• A rewards catalogue of around 300 items: free products, instant discounts, or vouchers.
• A 7-day period to use a coupon once it has been converted from accumulated points.
• Simplified checkout: simply present your smartphone to the optical reader to earn or spend points.

This move to a 100% dematerialized model confirms a broader trend: physical loyalty programs based on stamps or plastic cards are gradually yielding to mobile applications capable of personalizing offers in real time.

Bank referral programs, still a very active lever

On the banking side, the summer period remains favorable for referral campaigns. LCL is offering, until August 31, a €50 bonus for any customer who recommends a close contact who then becomes a client of the institution. Other players go further: specialist comparison sites list referee bonuses that can rise up to €300 at some fully online banks, and up to €200 for the referrer at brokers specializing in savings.

• Offers are generally capped at a number of referrals per year, with payment made after the new customer has been active for a few weeks or months.
• Amounts vary greatly from one institution to another and change throughout campaigns, which pushes comparison sites to update their rankings continuously.
• Certain offers, notably at traditional banks, are time-limited and can stop overnight.

This dynamism illustrates how much referral remains a preferred acquisition tool for banks as well as retailers, in a context where the cost of traditional advertising acquisition continues to rise.

What this concretely means for consumers

For households that closely follow their budget, these developments translate into simple actions to adopt: systematically activate the loyalty app of your usual retailers, check the expiration date of points or coupons, and compare referral bonuses before opening a new bank account or subscribing to a new offer. The proliferation of promo codes and digital wallets also requires increased vigilance: it is better to favor the official channels of retailers rather than suspicious links received by SMS or messaging.

To go further on the current good deals, our discount codes and referrals section regularly lists current offers, while the banking and finance section details the best account opening conditions. Tips to optimize everyday purchases are grouped in our practical life section.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the new Lidl Plus points program work?

Each euro spent in store automatically earns points via the Lidl Plus app. These points, valid for 24 months, can then be converted into discount coupons or free products from around 300 available rewards.

Are bank referral bonuses cumulative with other offers?

It depends on the general conditions of each institution: some banks allow stacking with a welcome bonus, others explicitly exclude it. It is recommended to read the terms carefully before opening an account via a referral link.

Why are retailers betting so much on loyalty and referral right now?

These schemes generally cost less than a traditional advertising campaign and make it possible to retain an already convinced customer base, while relying on recommendations, which a large majority of consumers consider more reliable than advertising.

Sources

• Comment Économiser : Lidl changes the rules of its loyalty card
• LCL: referral offer for individuals
• ComparaBanques: comparison of bank referral offers

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy