MasterCard: Rewards most important to consumers

Credit card provider MasterCard has published a survey claiming that the majority of cardholders all over Europe want a product that can offer them rewards.

Some 73 per cent of respondents to the survey said that they would prefer a card that offered them rewards and 48 per cent of these admitted that they would spend the points they received on themselves.

This compares to the 25 per cent that would donate the points to charities and the 20 per cent that would treat their friends or family.

Among the particular rewards that consumers expressed a preference for, 33 per cent said they would be most interested in discounted city breaks, while a quarter said they would like free cinema, theatre or concert tickets or free spa days.

While treats such as these were found to be popular, demand for more traditional incentives remains strong, according to the report, with 65 per cent of people saying they wanted a card which could offer them a discount on purchases and 57 per cent saying that cashback would be an attractive option.

Frederic Conrads, head of co-branding for MasterCard Europe, said: “Our research suggests that consumers take a very pragmatic approach to rewards on their credit cards.

“They want the flexibility to alternate between everyday items, such as money off petrol, and the occasional treat, such as a discounted city break. A card that allows them to choose what they want, when they want it, is most likely to be top of wallet.”