72% of shoppers would stay loyal to brands they loved even if it meant paying more: survey

Brands have been on edge in recent years, worried by reports of consumer spending pullback and growing selectivity. But a new study from Zeno Group offers a surprising twist: 87% of American shoppers say they support the brands they love—even when it’s not the easiest option.

Meanwhile, 72% of those surveyed said they’d stay loyal to retailers they love even if it meant paying more for their products.

“People truly form relationships with brands—experiencing the highs, the lows, and the emotional stickiness of a real relationship,” Allison McClamroch, head of brand US at Zeno, told Retail Brew via email. “And even in price-sensitive environments, that loyalty can stretch a long way.”

She added that word of mouth was also a powerful channel for creating loyalty, with 65% of the 3,000 US consumers surveyed saying they talked about the brands they love, while 59% recommended them because they believed in them. “Clearly, people still trust other people,” McClamroch said. “And brand love turns buyers into believers.”

While this loyalty sentiment toward their preferred brands remained strong across generations, each seemed to value different things.

For instance, Gen Z put a greater emphasis on “transparency, innovation, and identity,” choosing retailers that “stand for something, and align with their identity,” per the study.

“If your brand isn’t saying something meaningful—and saying it directly—they’re out,” McClamroch said. “This generation was raised in the era of misinformation. They want brands to talk back, stand for something, and be radically transparent.”

Similarly, the survey found millennials sought “consistency, impact, and relevance,” with 85% wanting shared values with their preferred retailers.

But where there is deep love, there is also the chance of an occasional breakup; 38% of shoppers said they would “fall out of love” with the brand if they just couldn’t trust it anymore.

The top drivers of breaking this trust include price increases (53%), declining quality (44%), and value misalignment or concerns around the brand’s reputation (38%).

But not to worry, McClamroch said, there are a few ways to keep that love and loyalty intact, starting with building emotional resilience “by dialing up ways that you show consumers that you care about them as a brand.”

“This will protect against volatility—even in tough times,” she said, adding that retailers should treat their target consumers “like you are in a relationship with them, not just like another transaction.”