The Real Reason People Feel Nothing for Loyalty Programs

In this episode, we unpack the fourth edition of the Understanding Loyalty in Europe 4.0 white paper — exploring what it reveals about loyalty across 24 European markets and what it means for brands today. Our guests are Charlie Hills, Chief Strategy Officer, and James Davies, Strategy Director at Mando-Connect. Together with YouGov, they’ve built a longitudinal view of loyalty across Europe, using a consistent loyalty gauge measuring programme membership, appeal, and impact. The conversation centres on a key tension highlighted in the research: participation in loyalty programmes is widespread, yet emotional connection remains limited. We explore what sits behind this gap, and how it varies across markets. A core takeaway from the white paper is that there is no single European loyalty strategy — only different levels of maturity shaped by local context. We discuss what this means in practice, and whether loyalty programmes still differentiate or have become an expectation, with many brands over-relying on mechanics over meaningful connection. We also reflect on what the research signals for the future — reinforcing the need for continuous evolution, test-and-learn approaches, and programmes that are built around real customer value. This episode offers a clear perspective on how to interpret the findings of Understanding Loyalty in Europe 4.0 — and how leaders can move beyond participation towards meaningful impact. Hosted by Nyeleti Sue-Angel Nkuna Show Notes: 1) Charlie Hills: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-h... 2)James Davies:   / james-davies-4ab10174   3)Mando-Connect: https://mando.co.uk/ 4) Understanding Loyalty in Europe 4.0: https://mando.co.uk/understanding-loy... 5) The Lean Startup : Book Recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-E... 6) Knowledge is Beautiful : Book Recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Beau... Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://letstalkloyalty.com/newsletter/ Connect with us on LinkedIn:   / let-s-talk-loyalty   #letstalkloyalty #loyaltymarketing #loyaltyprograms #loyaltytv