Retailers are under increasing pressure to make loyalty programmes more effective, personalised, and responsive to shopper behaviour in real time. One of the most powerful tools emerging in this space is standardised clickstream data – which reveals where shoppers are browsing on their path to purchase across retailers. By merging this data with e-commerce sales, retailers can pinpoint performance gaps and opportunities in their loyalty programmes for specific categories.
Clickstream data reveals uneven conversion success across retailers
In the UK, the fast-growing market for non/low-alcoholic beer offers a clear example of how this approach can shape smarter loyalty strategies. While online sales of “regular” beer made up just 3% of off-trade value sales in 2024, e-commerce sales of non/low-alcoholic beer accounted for 23% and the category continues to grow as consumers of all ages shift to healthier options. In turn, it is essential for retailers to identify where shoppers are engaging and how best to convert interest into repeat purchases and loyalty.
For each of the top six UK retailers for non/low-alcoholic beer, we have plotted online sales against shopper clicks for non/low-alcoholic beer product pages for the first three quarters of 2024. Tesco stands out, converting a high share of online browsing into purchases as shoppers frequent these non/low alcohol product pages on its website and follow through with online purchases. Sainsbury’s also performs strongly in online sales, holding the second highest e-commerce sales share, but does so with a significantly lower SCR%. This suggests an opportunity to attract more browsers through improved category visibility, targeted marketing, or promotional campaigns that drive increased product discovery on Sainsbury’s e-commerce website that can then be converted into even more online sales.
Meanwhile, Amazon sees generally stronger shopper interest in browsing the category, with a high share of clickstream activity, suggesting that it is a common destination for consumers exploring non/low-alcoholic beer, but lacking the actual purchasing conversions that other retailers are seeing. Similarly, retailers like Waitrose & Partners, Asda, and Ocado trail behind in both engagement and sales – highlighting the need to closely track category leaders and adapt digital and loyalty strategies to avoid falling further behind.
Our proprietary Loyalty Competitor Tracker further reinforces these findings, revealing that Amazon's Engagement Index score for Q4 2024 was 129 compared to Tesco's 109. While both brands drive significant daily and monthly traffic, Tesco demonstrates a lower bounce rate, suggesting that users are more likely to leave Amazon's site quickly. To improve retention and engagement, Amazon could benefit from refining its retention strategies and enhancing its loyalty offerings, particularly within the grocery segment.
Loyalty card promotions help drive conversions
Tesco and Sainsbury’s competitive edge in non/low-alcoholic beer can be tracked via their loyalty promotional rates conducted through their respective programmes, Tesco’s Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar. According to Euromonitor’s Loyalty Competitor Tracker, Tesco’s Clubcard reached 30 million members in 2024 and is powered by generative AI to deliver personalised offers and recommendations.
A closer look at loyalty promotional rates for the first nine months of 2024 shows just how aggressively Tesco uses its Clubcard price promotions to drive non/low-alcoholic beer sales. Across the period, loyalty promotional rates on products surpassed 30% with promotional intensity peaking during the summer months – aligning with seasonal demand. This consistent and targeted approach plays a key role in driving Tesco’s strong engagement and sales conversion.
Sainsbury’s Nectar programme also performs well, supporting solid conversion rates across the category. However, compared to Tesco, its use of loyalty pricing is much more conservative. With additional investment in promotional frequency and even predictive analytics for greater shopper personalisation – especially around peak consumption periods – Sainsbury’s has room to further expand its reach and strengthen its online sales funnel.
The broader takeaway for retailers is clear: category-specific loyalty execution matters. Loyalty programmes are evolving from static point systems to dynamic tools that combine personalisation, offering the right promotion at the right time, and digital touchpoints. Retailers that monitor browsing behaviour, loyalty offer frequency, and competitor tactics across categories will be best positioned to lead – not only in non/low-alcoholic beer, but across their wider assortment. Even industry leaders must look beyond their core categories, drawing inspiration from emerging loyalty innovations in adjacent sectors to ensure they stay ahead of shifting consumer expectations.
Read our report, New Concepts in Loyalty, for more analysis on concepts that are driving and transforming loyalty programmes. For more information on our e-commerce coverage, see details Here.