Canadian Loyalty Points Worth Billions Sit Unused in Wallets
Scene+ and Bond Brand Loyalty reveal Canadians are sitting on $13–$15 billion in unredeemed rewards, signaling a growing gap between earning and redemption.
Canadians are stacking up unredeemed loyalty points worth an estimated $13 to $15 billion, according to new research from Scene+ and Bond Brand Loyalty. The study reveals a widening disconnect between how easily people accumulate rewards and how willing they are to actually use them.
The findings suggest that the traditional loyalty model—make earning easy, hope people redeem—isn't working. Consumers say the problem isn't collecting points; it's that redemption options feel restrictive, redemption processes are clunky, or the rewards themselves aren't attractive enough to justify the effort of claiming them.
Scene+ and Bond Brand Loyalty's research, previewing Canadian insights ahead of their broader 2026 Loyalty Report, highlights an opportunity for retailers and loyalty programs. The billions in unredeemed points represent both unclaimed customer value and potential program costs on corporate balance sheets. Programs that simplify redemption, offer more varied reward options, and make the redemption experience frictionless may finally unlock that buried value. For Montrealers juggling multiple loyalty memberships, the message is clear: those accumulated points might be worth checking on.