Giant Food Stores goes chainwide with Choice Rewards

Following a consumer pilot this summer, Giant Food Stores has launched its new Choice Rewards loyalty program at all Giant and Martin’s Food Markets stores.

Carlisle, Pa.-based Giant said Monday that Choice Rewards saw a strong response from customers in its first public test market in western Pennsylvania. That pilot, started in June, came after an initial test with store associates in January that was expanded to all associates in August.

Giant executives say Choice Rewards builds on the popularity of the retailer’s longtime gas rewards program. Maintaining the benefits of the Giant BonusCard, Gas Extra Rewards and Bonus Buy Savings programs, Choice Rewards brings them under one brand with new ways to earn and redeem points — plus an improved digital experience, including access via the Giant and Martin’s mobile apps.

“When we designed Giant Choice Rewards, we did so with today’s families in mind,” Matt Simon (left), chief marketing officer for Giant Food Stores, said in a statement. “We know no two families are the same, so no loyalty experience should be either. Easy to use, our new program gives our customers more of what they’ve been asking for while providing us with a new way to meet their evolving needs, helping us deliver a truly unique customer experience.”

Related:Podcast: Giant’s Nick Bertram unveils Choice Rewards

Under Giant Choice Rewards, customers earn one point for every $1 spent and can redeem points for fuel discounts (10 cents for every 100 points up to 25 gallons) and earn free gas. Weekly circular promotions also enable customers to earn extra points for purchases.

New ways for members to earn points include personalized monthly basket offers, personalized weekly category offers and monthly semi-personalized, category-specific offers. Shopper, too, get new ways to redeem points, such as dollars off the shopping basket ($1 for every 100 points) and free products with point redemptions. In addition, customers can now redeem CSM vendor coupons for points instead of money off products.

With Choice Rewards, Giant also has brought an improved look and functionality to the app and the loyalty program website. For instance, in the app, a home rewards tab highlights point-earnings offers, and customers can more easily convert points to grocery and fuel discounts and redeem points on special offers.

“We’re always looking for ways to use technology to give our customers a better shopping experience,” Simon added. “Following the positive feedback we received from our associates and customers during the pilot, we’re excited to introduce the expanded program to all of our customers, offering them the freedom to choose the reward that matters most to them and additional ways to be rewarded, just in time for the holiday season.”

Related:Giant Food Stores named SN Retailer of the Year

Plans call for Giant to initiate a comprehensive marketing campaign for Choice Rewards in 2020. That effort is slated to include advertising circular product overlays for point rewards to drive further customer engagement, such as double points for a minimum transaction size, point bonuses for buying certain products and free items for using a specific number of points. The program is called Giant Choice Rewards at Giant supermarkets and Martin’s Choice Rewards at Martin’s locations.

Part of Ahold Delhaize USA, Giant operates 181 stores, 132 pharmacies, 102 fuel stations and more than 100 online grocery pickup and delivery sites under the Giant, Martin’s, Giant Heirloom Market, and Giant Direct and Martin’s Direct Powered by Peapod banners.