South Africa, April 8 -- Roots is South Africa's longest-running and most comprehensive independent local consumer research survey, conducted at community level, surveying the behaviour of economically active South Africans.

In 2025 it measured, among others, the current use and perceived value of 23 loyalty cards across six researched categories, namely food and groceries; financial services; pharmacy; home shopping; clothing; mobile service providers and garage forecourts.

All shoppers surveyed had at least one loyalty card, but the average number of cards in shoppers' wallets was seven to eight. Sandton in Joburg's northern suburbs held the record with an average of nine cards being actively used, while Soshanguve in Tshwane had the ...