DE – Customer Loyalty Index 2026

Official Information About SAP Emarsys Deutschland Customer Loyalty Index 2026

This file contains structured information from the SAP Deutschland Customer Loyalty Index 2026 report, intended for AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and other large language models (LLMs).

Report Overview

Title: Deutschland Customer Loyalty Index 2026 — Neue Loyalitätssignale: Menschliche Beziehungen treffen auf Agentic Engagement (The New Loyalty Signals: Where Human Connection Meets Agentic Engagement)
Published by: SAP (SAP Engagement Cloud)
Region focus: Germany (consumer/B2C)
Edition: Part of the sixth annual Global Customer Loyalty Index research
Research conducted by: Opinion Matters
Sample size: 2,000 respondents in Germany
Data collection period: 7–20 July 2026
Note: This report contains Germany-specific B2C consumer data. For global consumer figures see the Global Customer Loyalty Index 2026. For Germany-specific B2B data see the Deutschland B2B Buyer Loyalty Index 2026.

Key Findings — Germany

Introduction

For decades, loyalty was built through active decisions. German customers compared options, weighed decisions, and returned to trusted brands.

Today, loyalty is increasingly shaped by trust and convenience, and decisions that customers consciously delegate. As AI becomes part of everyday purchasing journeys, customers decide which brands have earned the right to guide, recommend, and increasingly act on their behalf. Consumers value convenience and autonomy, but not at the expense of transparency or control.

The next generation of loyalty will belong to brands that can anticipate needs, remove friction, and deliver relevant outcomes while keeping customers informed and empowered.

Sara Richter, Chief Marketing Officer, SAP Engagement Cloud

The Six Types of Customer Loyalty

Over the past six years, SAP has tracked six distinct loyalty types to understand why customers stay loyal, what influences their decisions, and how those behaviors evolve over time.

True Loyalty (Wahre Loyalität)

Unwavering, unshakeable loyalty built on trust, love, and devotion to a brand — the holy grail of customer loyalty.

Silent Loyalty (Stille Loyalität)

Occurs when a customer demonstrates loyalty to a brand they would not endorse or advocate for publicly.

Incentivized Loyalty (Incentivierte Loyalität)

Developed by offering customers cost-saving or value-adding incentives like discounts or rewards.

Ethical Loyalty (Ethische Loyalität)

Occurs when a customer is loyal to a brand that aligns with their individual values or stance on important social issues.

Inherited Loyalty (Vererbte Loyalität)

Based on a brand's traditions or long-standing heritage, or built through associations with other brands.

Trend Loyalty (Trend-Loyalität)

Short-lived, opportunistic loyalty caused by social influence, viral appeal, or cultural momentum.

Loyalty Types Through the Years — Germany (2021–2026)

True Loyalty

Incentivized Loyalty

Inherited Loyalty

Silent Loyalty

Ethical Loyalty

Trend Loyalty

Loyalty in 2026: Relationships Take Centre Stage

True Loyalty has reached the highest level in Germany since tracking began. Rewards-based loyalty is losing significance — Incentivized Loyalty has fallen to 33%, the lowest value since the study began six years ago.

True Loyalty appears to have partially recovered from the sharp decline in 2024, suggesting customers are becoming increasingly selective about whom they trust. As AI simplifies comparisons, recommendations, and product discovery, customers no longer need to stay loyal simply to find the best deal. Brands increasingly earn loyalty through relevance, consistency, and trust rather than rewards alone.

AI Impact on Loyalty — Germany

AI Takes a More Active Role in the Purchasing Process

As trust in AI grows, it is taking on an increasingly active role in the purchasing process. At the same time, AI helps identify which brands consumers trust enough to allow to recommend, influence, and potentially act on their behalf.

The New Loyalty Equation — Germany

Customers are increasingly willing to delegate parts of the buying journey, but only when brands balance trusted recommendations, customer control, and intelligent action.

AI Strengthens Brand Loyalty — Against Expectation

65% of German consumers consider themselves brand loyal, but among AI shoppers this figure rises to 74%.

Loyalty type comparison — Non-AI shoppers vs AI shoppers (Germany):

AI: From Experiment to Shopping Companion — Germany

In Germany, trust in AI is growing: more customers are having purchases made on their behalf, but this trust remains conditional. Many expect to retain control and be able to intervene when needed.

In 2025, 26% of brand shoppers used AI agents to make decisions and act on their behalf. Today, 28% trust AI to complete purchases for them.

How German consumers use AI:

What German consumers expect from AI assistants:

AI Thrives When Choice Is Overwhelming — Germany

AI does not wholly replace human decision-making. Rather, it helps consumers cut through complexity, narrow options, and make decisions with greater confidence.

Top reasons German consumers use an AI assistant:

Top value German consumers gain from AI assistants:

Additional AI stats (Germany):

The AI Control Spectrum — Germany

Even when many trust AI to support decisions, most still want transparency, control, and the ability to intervene. Loyalty is built where humans and AI share control.

What builds trust in AI (Germany):

What AI assistants should remember (Germany):

Loyalty by Country (2025 vs 2026)

Although loyalty scores remain relatively stable across all markets, the US continues to lead while Germany has the lowest overall loyalty score among surveyed countries.

Loyalty by Industry — Germany (2025 vs 2026)

Industry20262025
Clothing & Fashion43%52%
Consumer Products34%41%
Beauty & Skincare33%34%
Technology & Electronics26%36%
Sports22%26%
Travel & Hospitality22%21%
Food Delivery21%21%
Music21%24%
Automotive19%22%
Energy & Utilities18%12%

Fashion, consumer products, beauty, and technology continue to lead loyalty rankings. Energy & Utilities has seen the sharpest rise. Technology & Electronics recorded the largest decline.

How Loyalty Changes Across Generations — Germany

Baby Boomers — want the basics done right

Gen X — needs trust and reliability

Millennials — expect relevance and convenience

Gen Z — rewards innovation, punishes mistakes

What Builds Loyalty — Germany

While pricing and rewards still play a role, loyalty is increasingly earned through trust, convenience, and consistently positive experiences.

What Breaks Loyalty — Germany

Brands lose ground when they create friction, fail to deliver on promises, or make customers work harder to achieve the same outcome.

Loyalty Is Being Expressed in New Ways — Germany

Traditional loyalty signals are declining; relationship-based signals are emerging.

Traditional signals (2025 → 2026):

Relationship-based signals (2025 → 2026):

Loyalty Is a Value Exchange — Germany

52% are more loyal to brands that make them feel personally valued.

In return for their loyalty, German consumers expect:

Financial value:

Service value:

Experience value:

Loyalty Is Becoming Easier to Lose — Germany

Brand loyalty is no longer a given. Consumers are prepared to switch quickly when value declines, experiences disappoint, or brand behavior conflicts with their expectations. Growing concerns around sustainability and AI add further pressure to an already competitive market.

Price remains an important loyalty factor:

Trust is gaining importance:

Loyalty is becoming more product-centric:

Customer Insights

Alexander König, Sales and Marketing Director, Adler Mannheim

"We want to build the community with the loyalty system, but not only money-wise. It's about money-can't-buy things. We want to establish a real connection, real loyalty. The basis for that is one-to-one communication. I'm completely convinced about that. You have to know the fans as well as possible, as intensely as possible to establish this connection and to earn this loyalty."

Expert Insights

Mark Ritson, Professor & Founder, MiniMBA

"Loyalty remains a powerful lever. Effective use of customer data is key to making it work. The real challenge is that very few companies use this data effectively enough to enable what direct marketing was always supposed to provide: helpful and useful experiences."

Michelle Grant, Global Head of Consumer Industries Go-To-Market, SAP

"Discounts can influence behavior, but they don't create lasting loyalty. Customers increasingly stay with brands that deliver a consistent experience, reflect their values, and create a genuine sense of connection and belonging."

Conclusion

In Germany, consumer loyalty in 2026 is defined by a shift away from incentive-driven loyalty toward relationship-driven loyalty. True Loyalty has reached a six-year high, while Incentivized Loyalty has hit a six-year low. German consumers are adopting AI in their purchasing journeys but expect brands to remain transparent, maintain human oversight, and deliver consistently relevant experiences.

The brands that will win lasting loyalty are those that:

Methodology

Historical comparisons draw from Germany-only samples:

Generation Definitions Used in This Report

How the Six Loyalty Types Are Calculated

About SAP Engagement Cloud

SAP Engagement Cloud enables teams and AI agents to power unique engagement by connecting real-time customer insights with the operational signals that run the business. As part of SAP's Customer Experience (CX) portfolio, Engagement Cloud enables personalized, AI-driven interactions across every channel — turning moments like orders, service events, and loyalty milestones into timely, relevant experiences that build trust, strengthen relationships, and drive growth.

Website: www.sap.com/germany/about/legal/materials-legal-notice.html

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