Introduction

For any fast-moving consumer product, the first sale is only the beginning. A tea, a spice blend, a snack, a soap or a cleaning product succeeds when people buy it again, and again. Repeat purchase turns a launch into a business.

Many brands talk about “loyalty” as if shoppers were devoted to one brand. In reality, most FMCG shoppers buy from a small group of brands in each category, switching between them depending on availability, price, promotions and mood. Understanding how loyalty really works helps brands spend their money where it makes the biggest difference.

This article explains what research says about loyalty in FMCG, what drives repeat purchase and the practical marketing tools brands in Sri Lanka and the UAE can use to bring shoppers back.

What research tells us about loyalty

Most shoppers are not exclusively loyal

Decades of research on buying behaviour, much of it associated with Andrew Ehrenberg and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, shows that most shoppers buy several brands in a category over time. Few buy only one. Brands share their customers with competitors.

Loyalty follows brand size

A consistent pattern called “double jeopardy” shows that smaller brands have fewer buyers, and those buyers are also slightly less loyal. Larger brands have more buyers who buy them a little more often. Loyalty levels tend to be fairly similar between brands of similar size in the same category.

Growth comes mainly from more buyers

Because of these patterns, brands usually grow mainly by increasing the number of people who buy them, known as penetration, rather than by dramatically increasing the loyalty of existing buyers. Retaining customers matters, but the biggest gains often come from reaching more light and occasional buyers.

What this means for loyalty marketing

These findings do not mean loyalty marketing is useless. They mean it should be realistic. The goal is not to create fanatical devotion, but to make sure people who try the brand are satisfied, remember it and find it easily when they next buy the category. Retention protects the base, while reaching new buyers drives growth.

The foundations of repeat purchase

1. A product people genuinely like

No marketing can overcome a disappointing product for long. Repeat purchase starts with a product that delivers on its promise, every time. Consistent quality between batches is essential, because a single bad experience can send a shopper to a competitor.

2. Easy to find again

If a shopper cannot find the product on their next trip, they will buy something else. Reliable distribution, good shelf positions and avoiding out-of-stocks are among the most powerful drivers of repeat purchase.

3. Easy to recognise

Distinctive, consistent packaging helps shoppers spot the product quickly. Changing the pack frequently, or making it look like competitors, makes repeat purchase harder.

4. Fair value

Shoppers continually judge whether a product is worth its price. Value includes quality, quantity, convenience and how the product makes them feel, not just the price.

5. Memorable

Shoppers need to remember the brand when they next shop the category. Consistent communication, distinctive brand assets and links to buying occasions all help.

Practical tools for building repeat purchase

Sampling and trial

Repeat purchase requires a first purchase. Sampling, small trial packs and introductory offers help new shoppers try the product. The best sampling reaches people who already buy the category, at the moment they are shopping.

Usage ideas and occasions

Many products sell more when people use them in more ways or on more occasions. Recipes, serving suggestions and usage tips encourage people to use the product more often and buy it again sooner. For example, a spice brand can share quick weekday recipes, and a tea brand can promote iced tea in hot months.

On-pack communication

The pack itself can encourage repeat purchase:

• Usage suggestions and recipes printed on the pack.
• QR codes linking to recipes, videos or offers.
• Messages about range extensions, so shoppers try other products.
• Clear resealable features that keep the product fresh and visible at home.

Next-purchase offers

Offers that reward the next purchase, such as a coupon or code inside the pack, encourage people to buy again. They are generally more useful than deep discounts on the first purchase, which may attract bargain hunters who never return.

Retailer loyalty programmes

Many supermarket chains in Sri Lanka and the UAE run loyalty programmes. Brands can work with retailers on targeted offers to members, bonus points on products or personalised promotions. These programmes can also provide valuable data on repeat purchase, if retailers share it.

Brand-owned customer relationships

Brands can build their own relationships with customers through:

• Email newsletters with recipes, tips and offers.
• WhatsApp and messaging channels, which are widely used in both markets.
• Social media communities.
• Online stores with order history and reminders.
• Subscriptions for regularly used products.

Direct relationships reduce dependence on retailers and allow brands to learn from their customers.

Seasonal and occasion marketing

FMCG purchases often follow seasons and occasions. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Vesak, Deepavali and the year-end season are important. In the UAE, Ramadan, Eid and the year-end season shape shopping. Timely reminders and seasonal packs help the brand stay relevant at moments when shoppers are buying.

Customer service and reviews

Responding quickly to questions and complaints shows customers that the brand cares. Satisfied customers who leave reviews help persuade new buyers, and their feedback helps the brand improve.

Packaging that brings shoppers back

Packaging works long after the first purchase. It sits in kitchens, cupboards and bathrooms, reminding people of the brand every time they use the product. Packaging that supports repeat purchase:

• Keeps the product fresh, so the last portion is as good as the first.
• Is easy to open, close and use, which makes the product a pleasure to buy again.
• Shows the brand clearly from every angle, including when stored on a shelf at home.
• Includes usage ideas and reorder information.
• Stays consistent between purchases, so shoppers find the same pack next time.

If research shows that shoppers forget the brand name after use, the pack may need stronger brand blocking or a more distinctive design. Our packaging team designs packs with both the shelf and the home in mind.

Working with retailers on repeat purchase

Retailers want products that sell steadily, not only during promotions. Brands can work with them to support repeat purchase by:

• Agreeing stock levels and reorder points that prevent out-of-stocks.
• Securing consistent shelf positions, so shoppers find the product in the same place.
• Running offers through retailer loyalty programmes aimed at lapsed or occasional buyers.
• Sharing insights on repeat purchase patterns from retailer data.
• Planning seasonal displays that remind shoppers to restock.

A retailer that sees steady, repeat sales is more likely to keep the product listed and give it good space.

Why light buyers matter

It is tempting to focus all loyalty efforts on heavy buyers who purchase often. But in most FMCG categories, a large share of a brand’s buyers are light buyers who purchase it only occasionally. Together, they often account for a significant portion of sales, and they are where most growth comes from.

Light buyers are reached mainly through:

• Broad, consistent advertising that keeps the brand memorable.
• Wide distribution, so the brand is available whenever they shop.
• Distinctive packaging that they recognise even after months.
• Occasional promotions that remind them of the brand.

A loyalty plan that ignores light buyers risks talking repeatedly to people who would have bought anyway, while missing the people who could buy more.

Range extensions and cross-selling

Once shoppers trust a brand, they are more willing to try its other products. Range extensions, such as new flavours, sizes or related products, can increase the total amount each household buys from the brand.

Effective cross-selling includes:

• Consistent brand design across the range, so products are recognised as one family.
• On-pack messages introducing related products.
• Bundles and multipacks that combine popular items.
• Recipes or routines that use several products together.

Range extensions should still meet a real need. Adding too many products can confuse shoppers and spread resources thinly.

Subscriptions and refills

For products used regularly, such as tea, coffee, spices and household essentials, subscriptions and refill packs can build repeat purchase:

• Online subscriptions deliver products automatically at chosen intervals.
• Refill pouches let customers reuse a jar or tin, often at a lower price and with less packaging.
• Reminder messages prompt customers when they are likely to be running low.

These tools work best for brands with strong online stores and dependable delivery.

Repeat business in food service

FMCG brands also sell to hotels, restaurants, cafés and caterers. In food service, repeat business depends on:

• Consistent quality from every delivery.
• Reliable delivery schedules.
• Larger pack formats that reduce cost and waste.
• Responsive account management.
• Menu ideas and staff training that help customers use the product well.

A strong food service relationship can provide steady volumes and introduce the brand to consumers who later look for it in stores.

Data, privacy and personalisation

Loyalty marketing often uses personal data, such as contact details and purchase history. Collecting and using this data responsibly is essential.

• Collect only the data you need, with clear consent.
• Explain how data will be used, in a clear privacy notice.
• Store data securely and limit access.
• Make it easy for customers to unsubscribe.

Sri Lanka’s Personal Data Protection Act was amended in 2025, with key parts appointed to come into operation from 1 January 2027, and the UAE has a federal Personal Data Protection Law.

Raiden (Pvt) Ltd, the sister company of Dsigngo Group, provides IT, hosting and cybersecurity services, which helps brands set up secure systems for customer data.

Measuring repeat purchase

Useful measures include:

• Repeat rate: the share of first-time buyers who buy again within a set period.
• Purchase frequency: how often buyers purchase within a year.
• Penetration: the share of households or target customers who buy the brand.
• Retention by group: how many customers acquired in a given month are still buying months later.
• Rate of sale per store, which reflects both new and repeat buying.
• Customer feedback and review ratings.
• Out-of-stock rates in key stores, because missed shelves mean missed repeat purchases.

Data can come from retailer sales and loyalty data, online store records, consumer panels where available and simple surveys. Even basic tracking, such as follow-up messages to online customers, can provide useful insight.

Common mistakes

• Expecting extreme loyalty from shoppers who naturally buy several brands.
• Focusing only on heavy buyers and ignoring light buyers who drive growth.
• Relying on deep discounts that attract switchers rather than loyal customers.
• Changing packaging so often that shoppers cannot recognise the product.
• Allowing quality to vary between batches.
• Letting out-of-stocks send shoppers to competitors.
• Collecting customer data without consent or a clear purpose.
• Sending so many messages that customers unsubscribe or ignore the brand.
• Measuring loyalty only through surveys, instead of looking at what customers actually buy.

Turning lapsed buyers into returning buyers

Some shoppers try a product and drift away. Understanding why is valuable. Short conversations or surveys with lapsed buyers often reveal simple causes, such as not finding the product, a price rise, a competitor promotion or a pack size that did not suit them. Targeted offers, reminders and fixes to availability can win many of them back at relatively low cost.

A repeat purchase checklist

1. Does the product consistently meet or beat competitors in quality?
2. Is it reliably available where target shoppers buy the category?
3. Is the packaging distinctive and consistent?
4. Does the price feel fair for the value delivered?
5. Do shoppers have ideas for using the product more often?
6. Are there reasons to buy again, such as next-purchase offers?
7. Is the brand present at key seasonal moments?
8. Are complaints handled quickly and reviews encouraged?
9. Is repeat purchase measured regularly?

Repeat purchase for the group’s own brands

Dsigngo Group manages its own FMCG brands, including Raiden Tea, Raiden Coffee and Udari Nuts & Spices. Tea, coffee and spices are classic repeat purchases, bought regularly as part of daily routines. Working on these brands gives our team practical experience of how quality, availability and reminders keep customers coming back.

An illustrative example

Here is an illustrative example. It does not describe a specific client.

A Sri Lankan tea brand has strong trial after its launch, but many buyers do not return.

• Diagnosis. Interviews with lapsed buyers show that many liked the tea but could not find it on their next shopping trip. Store visits confirm frequent out-of-stocks in two key supermarkets.
• Availability. The brand works with its distributor to improve stock planning and adds a reorder alert for key stores.
• Recognition. The pack is kept consistent, with stronger brand blocking on shelf.
• Usage. On-pack QR codes link to iced tea and spiced tea recipes, encouraging more cups per week.
• Next purchase. A code inside each pack offers a discount on the next purchase through the brand’s online store.
• Measurement. Repeat rate among online buyers, rate of sale per store and out-of-stock levels are tracked monthly.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to focus on new customers or existing customers?

Both matter. Retaining satisfied customers protects sales, while reaching new buyers is usually the main source of growth. A balanced plan does both.

Do loyalty programmes really work?

They can help, especially when run with retailers who have large member bases. They work best when combined with a good product, reliable availability and consistent branding.

Should we start our own loyalty programme?

For many FMCG brands, a full programme is expensive to run. Simpler tools, such as newsletters, messaging channels and next-purchase offers, may deliver better value at first.

Are promotions bad for loyalty?

Not necessarily. Occasional promotions can remind shoppers of a brand and recruit new buyers. Problems arise when promotions are so frequent or deep that shoppers only buy on deal, which weakens the brand’s normal price and margins.

How can small brands compete with big brands on repeat purchase?

Small brands can win through product quality, distinctive packaging, strong presence in selected stores and close relationships with customers through social media and messaging. Focusing on a specific region or community often works better than trying to compete everywhere.

How quickly should customers buy again?

It depends on the product and pack size. A small pack of tea may be repurchased within weeks, while a large pack of detergent may last months. Repeat periods should be measured against typical usage.

Conclusion

Repeat purchase is where FMCG brands are built. It depends first on a product people like, then on being easy to find, easy to recognise, good value and memorable. Loyalty marketing works best when it supports these foundations, rather than trying to replace them.

Dsigngo Group helps FMCG brands strengthen repeat purchase through consistent packaging, on-pack communication, retailer and digital campaigns, customer relationship tools and measurement.

Want more of your customers to come back? Talk to our team.

Grow Repeat Purchase

Sources

• Ehrenberg, Goodhardt and Barwise, “Double Jeopardy Revisited”, Journal of Marketing (1990); Ehrenberg-Bass Institute research on brand growth and loyalty.
• Journal of Retailing (2022), study of behavioural loyalty for store brands and manufacturer brands.
• Sri Lanka Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 2025; UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021.

Check each source before publishing.