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Rising fuel prices met with real savings for households through eBucks
Fuel remains one of the most unavoidable expenses for South African households, and with ongoing supply chain pressures expected to keep upward momentum on fuel prices in the months ahead, managing the cost of every litre has become increasingly important. Against this backdrop, eBucks is encouraging customers to maximise savings through its long-standing partnership with Engen.
Over the past 12 months, eBucks customers unlocked R418 million in combined value at Engen. This includes R241 million earned back in eBucks rewards through qualifying fuel purchases, as well as R177 million spent directly in eBucks at Engen to reduce out-of-pocket fuel costs.
“With fuel, every rand and every litre counts,” says Pieter Woodhatch, CEO of eBucks Rewards at FNB. “Fuel is a necessity for many South African households, and with prices expected to remain under pressure amid ongoing global geopolitical uncertainty, customers are looking for practical ways to protect their monthly budgets. Our data shows that eBucks continues to make a real, measurable difference for our customer’s pockets.”
Woodhatch highlights that the value unlocked through Engen translates into everyday savings. “In the last year alone, the eBucks rewards customers earned at Engen are equivalent to filling around 424,000 tanks. These are real savings that help customers go further, even as fuel prices climb.”
“We’ve been very generous with our monthly fuel caps especially now as prices have increased significantly,” Woodhatch explains. “For example, Premier customers have a monthly fuel cap of R2,000, but typically spend around R1,200. That gap represents additional value that could be unlocked simply by concentrating qualifying fuel spend and making the most of the programme.”
The rewards programme continues to see strong engagement and loyalty. More than 54% of eBucks customers fuel exclusively at Engen, and over 850,000 eBucks members earn rewards from fuel purchases every month.
“We’re seeing exceptional loyalty from customers who concentrate their fuel spend at Engen, and those customers are consistently the ones unlocking the most value,” Woodhatch added. “But there’s still significant opportunity for customers who are splitting their fuel spend across multiple stations. By consolidating more of their fill-ups and ensuring that they’re correctly set up to earn, customers can significantly increase what they get back each month.”
Ester Ochse, Integrated Advice, Product Head at FNB said fuel is one of the household expenses that feels price increases most sharply. “Fuel is something most people can’t easily cut back on, which is why price increases are so noticeable in monthly budgets,” she said. “When global events push fuel prices higher, the impact tends to be felt for longer, not just for a month or two.”
Ochse mentions this makes it increasingly important for consumers to find ways to reduce what they actually pay at the pump. “In times like these, small, consistent savings really add up. Using rewards, discounts or programmes that help lower everyday costs can ease pressure on household finances and free up money for other essentials.”
To help customers maximise their fuel savings as prices rise, eBucks shares a few practical tips:
- Choose Engen more often: Consolidating fuel spend at Engen helps maximise qualifying earn.
- Track your monthly fuel cap: Not reaching your cap can mean leaving rewards on the table.
- Make sure you’re set up to earn: Ensure eBucks rewards are active and the correct linked payment method or eligible product is used.
- Spend eBucks strategically: Using eBucks at Engen can further reduce cash spent on fuel.
“Fuel may be unavoidable, but the impact on household budgets doesn’t have to be,” Woodhatch concludes.
“With up to R8 back per litre in rewards, the earned eBucks by customers can go a long way to help cushion the effect of fuel hikes. More than 850 000 customers are already benefiting from the eBucks programme, using rewards to offset increases and reduce cost of living pressure. Our goal is to help customers make smart everyday decisions that build financial resilience in a challenging economic environment.”
INFO SUPPLIED.