loyalty cards are worth more to the issuing companies than to you

Like most people we have wallets full of loyalty cards in both NZ and the US, but don't go out of our way to use them.  In NZ the Countdown chain calls its card the OneCard and one percent cash back (in fact voucher back) is about what you get - and that would be typical with most such schemes.  Would you go out of your way to save one percent? Of course not.  You need to factor in your time and extra gas to go to that particular shop when you could go somewhere else closer.

Loyalty cards tell the organisations, particularly the supermarkets, what you like to buy and thus quite a lot about you.  Let them know that they have to compete for your custom and that you literally shop around. Fair Go video