Sobeys Launches Loyalty Program

JON SPRINGER

TORONTO — Sobeys last week unveiled a Club Sobeys loyalty card as well as a Club Sobeys MasterCard at its stores in Ontario and Western Canada.

The cards, which allow members to accrue points redeemable for grocery discounts, airline travel miles and other rewards, are the first to be offered at Stellarton, Nova Scotia-based Sobeys, according to Bill McEwan, chief executive officer, who announced the program at an investor conference here last week. McEwan said the program was “the most significant strategic development in the 7½ years I have been with Sobeys.”

Shoppers in Club Sobeys accrue one point for every $1 spent at the store, with opportunities to earn bonus points through various in-store promotions, Sobeys said. The program offers a variety of ways to collect rewards, ranging from in-store savings to items from an online catalog at clubsobeys.com. Customers can also select to convert points for Aeroplan Miles, the air travel rewards program run by Air Canada and its related carriers.

Shoppers who use the Club Sobeys MasterCard can accrue points for all card purchases, and earn two Club Sobeys points for every $1 spent in Sobeys stores, McEwan said.

This option allows Sobeys to gain greater insight into consumer shopping patterns, he said.

In his comments at the Scotia Capital Back to School conference last week, McEwan said he was reluctant to call Club Sobeys a “loyalty” program.

“Loyalty comes fundamentally from the quality of your stores, the quality of your people, the quality of your products and the consistency of your execution,” he said.