1. Why loyalty, and why now
Poland's loyalty programmes market reached roughly €1.14 billion in 2025 and is growing at an 11.8% CAGR to a projected €2.04 billion by 2030 (Research and Markets, February 2026). Growth is driven by three forces: the digitalisation of retail, rising awareness of customer lifetime value, and pressure on profitability against flat marketing budgets (7.7% of revenue according to the Gartner CMO Survey 2025).
The average Polish consumer holds 8.8 active loyalty memberships but actively participates in only 5 of them (Deloitte, 2026). This gap between sign-up and genuine engagement is both a threat and an opportunity: programmes that deliver immediate value win a larger share of the consumer's wallet.
In retail, where margins are thin and the customer has unlimited choice, loyalty is no longer an option — it is a precondition for holding market share. 72% of consumers say they spend more with their preferred brand precisely because of its loyalty programme (Deloitte).
2. The Polish loyalty market — scale and momentum
| Year | Value (€bn) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.14 | base |
| 2026 | 1.30 | +14.0% y/y |
| 2027 | 1.46 | +12.3% y/y (est.) |
| 2028 | 1.63 | +11.8% y/y |
| 2029 | 1.83 | +12.0% y/y |
| 2030 | 2.04 | CAGR 11.8% 2026–2030 |
Converted from USD (0.925 EUR/USD). Source: Research and Markets, "Poland Consumer Loyalty Business Report 2026", February 2026.
Market structure by channel: 48% of programmes are available online, 40% omnichannel, 37% via mobile app, 31% at POS (EY, 2025). More and more programmes are moving from a purely points-based model to a hybrid one that combines points, cashback and status-based benefits.
Key observation: 26.2% of loyalty points remain unredeemed, and 11.9% expire (Antavo 2026). Breakage is not only lost value for the customer — above all it is untapped engagement potential. Programmes that eliminate breakage (e.g. through easy-to-redeem rewards, short redemption paths) achieve higher active participation rates.
3. Benchmark of Polish loyalty apps
Żabka Żappka
Żappka is the largest convenience loyalty app in Poland, built on the żapps mechanic — points collected on purchases and exchanged for rewards. Key features: personalised promotions, challenges and missions (gamification), in-app payment, real-time offers.
Żappka's differentiator versus the competition is daily interaction: the customer does not use the app once a month but several times a week. The app has become a transactional channel (payment + promotion + points), not merely a communication one. This is the key lesson: the more often the customer opens the app, the stronger the loyalty bond.
Rossmann PL (Klub Rossmann)
Klub Rossmann is the drugstore's loyalty programme with points, coupons and the Rossmann GO service (scan and pay in store, with a 5% discount). The "Coupon for a smile" feature (gamification via selfies) increased engagement and coupon distribution.
Rossmann stands out for its utility function: Rossmann GO is not a purely loyalty mechanic but a real shopping convenience. The customer does not stand in line — value in itself, which builds loyalty indirectly through satisfaction with the shopping experience.
Biedronka (Moja Biedronka)
Jeronimo Martins' loyalty programme runs on a card model (physical and virtual) with personalised offers. The app offers: the shakeomat (offer draw), e-receipts, transaction history, shopping lists, product scanning and BLIK payment.
Biedronka's weak point is the relatively low frequency of app interaction compared with Żappka. In scale, however (millions of cards), it remains the largest FMCG programme in Poland.
Zooplus (Poland)
Zooplus is the No. 1 petcare e-commerce in Europe, operating in Poland as an online store with a points-based loyalty programme. Unique elements: Savings Plan (a subscription with a discount on recurring pet food deliveries) and the ability to donate points to animal shelters.
The most important lesson from Zooplus is replenishment: pet food and litter are high-repeat categories that naturally lend themselves to subscription. The second lesson is the emotional layer of loyalty: the ability to support shelters through the programme strengthens the customer's bond with the brand.
4. The loyalty app as a digital product — 5 functional layers
The loyalty app has stopped being a passive vessel for points. It is becoming a digital product that solves specific customer problems at 5 levels:
Layer 1: Identification and points (foundation)
Problem: the customer forgets cards, does not know their points balance, is indistinguishable from others. Solution: virtual card, real-time balance, unique status.
Layer 2: AI personalisation (differentiation)
Problem: mass offer = low relevance. Solution: coupons and recommendations based on purchase history. 55% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials say they are more likely to join a programme with AI (Antavo 2026). Personalisation is the largest investment area in loyalty in 2026.
Layer 3: Gamification (engagement)
Problem: the programme gets boring after 3 months. Solution: missions, challenges, progress bars. 81% of consumers are motivated by seeing progress toward a goal (Attentive 2026). Gamification as a strategic lever rose from 22% (2021) to 43% (2026) of expert mentions (Open Loyalty 2026).
Layer 4: Payments and convenience (transactability)
Problem: friction at the till and in checkout kills satisfaction. Solution: BLIK, scan&pay, virtual card, fast checkout. The app becomes a transactional channel. 65% of customers value fast delivery, 52% points, 41% exclusive offers (Attentive).
Layer 5: Services and ecosystem (stickiness)
Problem: the app is just a "coupon holder". Solution: subscription, vet, grooming, content, community, referral programme, charitable giving. Pets at Home links its app with vet visits, pet food subscription and a magazine — a full ecosystem.
5. Omnichannel loyalty — from points to an operating model
In 2026, omnichannel loyalty stops being an add-on and becomes the default operating model for retention (Optimove 2026). This means the customer's status and benefits must be consistent across all channels: app, website, e-mail, physical store, support, social media.
73% of retail purchases still have a physical touchpoint (PYMNTS 2026). Omnichannel loyalty unites digital and store in one system: the customer collects points online and redeems in store; picks up a coupon in the app and uses it at the till; subscribes online and collects in the outlet.
In practice, omnichannel requires:
- A unified customer profile — data from online+offline in a single CDP.
- Real-time integration — points balance and offer availability refreshed instantly.
- Consistent communication — not "a different customer" in the app and another in store.
- Cross-channel personalisation — offers that take the customer's full history into account.
6. Trends 2026–2029
Trend 1: Gamification as architecture, not decoration
Gamification is growing from 22% (2021) to 42% (2026) of mentions in the Open Loyalty study. Missions, challenges, progress bars, badges — these mechanics are no longer decorative. They are becoming the core of the loyalty app design. 81% of consumers are motivated by seeing progress toward a goal.
Trend 2: AI personalisation
Personalisation is the largest investment area in 2026 (58% of companies). AI enables recommendations and offers in real time. 55% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials say they are more likely to join a programme that uses AI.
Trend 3: Instant gratification
75% of companies prioritise real-time rewards over deferred point collection. The customer does not wait a month for a reward — they get it immediately. This changes programme architecture: from long accumulation to fast cycles of micro-rewards.
Trend 4: Frictionless and real-time
Balance updated immediately after purchase. Real-time integration with CRM, CDP and POS. Batch systems no longer keep up with expectations. Real-time is not a luxury — it is a condition of operation.
Trend 5: From points to value
Free shipping (65%), VIP tiers (34%), exclusive access, early promotions — these benefits outweigh the value of pure points for the consumer. Programmes are shifting from discount to experience.
Trend 6: Super apps and consolidation
"App fatigue" is growing. 51% of consumers actively use only one loyalty programme, even though they are signed up to several. Apps that consolidate functions win: loyalty + payments + shopping + media. PAYBACK in Germany and Żappka in Poland are examples.
7. Summary
Poland's loyalty app market is growing steadily (CAGR 11.8%) and undergoing a fundamental transformation — from points and coupons toward a personalised, multi-channel digital product that combines payment, gamification and a services ecosystem.
Key takeaways for boards:
- Subscription and replenishment are the fastest lever in high-repeat categories.
- Omnichannel is not an option — it is the default model. The customer does not distinguish between channels, and neither should a loyalty programme.
- Gamification and utility decide daily engagement, not the number of points.
- AI personalisation is no longer a differentiator — it will be the standard.
- The emotional layer (community, support, wellbeing) builds loyalty that competitors cannot copy.
Sources: Research and Markets (Poland Consumer Loyalty Business Report 2026), Open Loyalty (Loyalty Program Trends 2026), Deloitte, EY, Attentive, Antavo, Bond Brand Loyalty, Optimove, Gartner CMO Survey 2025, PYMNTS 2026.