South Africans are feeling the pinch of climbing fuel costs, placing additional strain on household budgets and increasing the importance of everyday savings.

In response, Absa and Shell South Africa have partnered to give customers more opportunities to earn cashback on fuel spend across a wider network.

The partnership brings together Absa Rewards and Shell V+, two customer focused loyalty programmes, to deliver real cash back and instant rewards when Absa Rewards Members who are active Shell V+ members pay with their Absa cards at participating Shell service stations.

“Fuel is one of the most significant everyday expenses for many South Africans, particularly at a time when household budgets are under pressure,” said Alicia Raynard, Executive: Absa Rewards. “Earlier this year, Absa Rewards introduced temporary fuel relief measures through increased cashback caps. This next phase expands our fuel rewards network through the addition of Shell alongside the existing fuel partner as we look to meet our customers where they are and give them more opportunities to save on everyday fuel spend.”

With Shell’s extensive national footprint, and Absa’s established rewards ecosystem, customers will have access to rewards across a broader range of locations nationwide. Shell V+ Rewards is structured around simple, accessible value, offering instant rewards based on customer engagement, and spend behaviour, with no joining fees or monthly costs. Depending on their qualifying criteria and Rewards tier, customers can earn up to 30% cashback through Absa Rewards, while also benefiting from Shell V+ instant rewards of up to 50 cents per litre on fuel and up to 2.5% on qualifying in store purchases.

“Shell V+ was created to make everyday rewards simple and accessible for our customers,” said Monica Sithole, Mobility Marketing Manager.

“In partnering with Absa Rewards, we saw a strong alignment in how both organisations are prioritising customer value and relevance. Together, we are creating a more compelling, combined rewards experience across nearly 600 Shell service stations nationwide.”