The shift in stated intentions

Source

Blackhawk Network original research release

BHN year-over-year comparison of reported self-use purchasing plans. The 2026 U.S. survey covered 2,138 adults aged 18+ in January. The release does not provide the 2025 sample design. These are intentions, not transaction data.

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Planning to buy gift cards for self-use (%)
Category	Share reported by BHN
2025	31%
2026	56%

The difference is 25 percentage points, calculated from BHN’s reported figures. It is a change in intentions, not a measured increase in transaction volume. The comparison does not establish how many respondents subsequently bought a card.

BHN’s accompanying research overview covers affordability, digital delivery, loyalty funding and shopping technology. The report was listed on May 28, ahead of the June publicity. Its focus is how people expect to shop, rather than a ledger of completed purchases. [S02]

Why a distributor cares about self-use

BHN supplies branded-payment infrastructure connecting retailers, reward programmes and consumers. Its customer-loyalty services include gift-card rewards and delivery options intended to support repeat engagement. A shift toward personal-use purchases is commercially relevant because it can give those products a role outside traditional gift occasions. [S03]

For a retailer, the gift buyer and self-use buyer may want different things from an identical balance. The former may value presentation and recipient choice. The latter may focus on a particular offer, the amount available to spend and the ease of using it at checkout.

That difference changes the business case for distribution. A loyalty catalogue can reach somebody redeeming accumulated rewards, while a gift display reaches somebody shopping for another person. More channels create opportunities, but the retailer still needs to know whether the purchase adds demand or replaces an existing payment method.

The same question applies to BHN. Its research informs a market in which it sells services. The findings can identify a prospective source of programme activity, but they should not be treated as independent proof that buying those services will generate incremental profit.

The same release reports that 18% bought gift cards using loyalty points, up four percentage points since 2024. That implies a 2024 comparison of 14%, calculated as 18 minus four. BHN says these cards served both gifting and budgeting, so the

More US shoppers planned to buy gift cards for their own use in 2026, according to research publicised by Blackhawk Network on June 8. The finding points to a customer journey different from choosing a present: buying branded value to fund an intended purchase. [S01] The shift in stated intentions Planning to buy gift cards for self-use Percentages reported by Blackhawk Network. Hover over bars for values or use the data table and CSV download. Share reported by BHN 2025: 31 % 2026: 56 % BHN year-over-year comparison of reported self-use purchasing plans. The 2026 U.S. survey covered 2,138 adults aged 18+ in January. The release does not provide the 2025 sample design. These are intentions, not transaction data. Blackhawk Network original research release The difference is 25 percentage points, calculated from BHN’s reported figures. It is a change in intentions, not a measured increase in transaction volume. The comparison does not establish how many respondents subsequently bought a card. BHN’s accompanying research overview covers affordability, digital delivery, loyalty funding and shopping technology. The report was listed on May 28, ahead of the June publicity. Its focus is how people expect to shop, rather than a ledger of completed purchases. [S02] Why a distributor cares about self-use BHN supplies branded-payment infrastructure connecting retailers, reward programmes and consumers. Its customer-loyalty services include gift-card rewards and delivery options intended to support repeat engagement. A shift toward personal-use purchases is commercially relevant because it can give those products a role outside traditional gift occasions. [S03] For a retailer, the gift buyer and self-use buyer may want different things from an identical balance. The former may value presentation and recipient choice. The latter may focus on a particular offer, the amount available to spend and the ease of using it at checkout. That difference changes the business case for distribution. A loyalty catalogue can reach somebody redeeming accumulated rewards, while a gift display reaches somebody shopping for another person. More channels create opportunities, but the retailer still needs to know whether the purchase adds demand or replaces an existing payment method. The same question applies to BHN. Its research informs a market in which it sells services. The findings can identify a prospective source of programme activity, but they should not be treated as independent proof that buying those services will generate incremental profit. The same release reports that 18% bought gift cards using loyalty points, up four percentage points since 2024. That implies a 2024 comparison of 14%, calculated as 18 minus four. BHN says these cards served both gifting and budgeting, so the

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