Dive Brief:

• About 7,000 BP and Amoco fueling stations now allow customers whose credit or debit cards incorporate Fiserv’s uChoose Rewards program to use those rewards points to pay for fuel, according to a press release from Fiserv.
• The uChoose Rewards program is incorporated into more than four million consumers’ credit and debit cards, allowing them to build up points — and therefore discounts — on a variety of purchases. 
• Applying uChoose Rewards points can save customers up to 50 cents off up to 20 gallons of fuel at a time, according to the Jan. 22 press release.

Dive Insight:

As customers remain price-sensitive after years of rampant inflation, this deal gives thrifty consumers an extra reason to consider BP and Amoco sites. It also gives them a way to save money without requiring that their previous purchases happen at that same chain, the way store-specific loyalty programs do.

“Expanding our rewards redemption options to include uChoose Rewards gives our consumers different ways to save on their fuel purchases, and more reasons to choose our BP and Amoco brands,” said Mukta Tandon, vice president of U.S. mobility marketing for BP. 

Users will be automatically prompted to use their points when they swipe a uChoose-enabled card at a participating gas station. 

The agreement aims to encourage customers to use participating fueling locations and boost their engagement with uChoose Rewards. Fiserv’s research found that nearly 70% of people who have multiple cards consider the rewards they’ll earn when deciding which card to use.

The fuel discount is similar to other rewards programs that offer cash back, travel or gift cards. 

“Fuel is a regular purchase for the majority of households, and diversifying uChoose Rewards to enable redemption of points at the pump allows financial institutions to broaden the appeal of their card rewards programs,” said Rajeev Yerukalapudi, vice president of product management at Fiserv.

Fiserv worked with loyalty network Engage People and fuel rewards company Velocity Logic to add the feature. 

London-based BP owns a variety of convenience retailing brands, including Thorntons, Amoco, Ampm and TravelCenters of America in addition to its own branded locations. Its U.S. headquarters is in Houston.