VONS OFFERS CLUB CARD USERS SUPER BOWL PACKS

AMITY K. MOORE

ARCADIA, Calif. -- Vons Cos. here looked to score big with its core shoppers with a Super Bowl promotion through which consumers received free groceries just in time for the big game.

In the promotion, Vons Club and Pavilions ValuePlus Club members who spent $150 or more using their club cards between Dec. 26 and Jan. 10 received a certificate in the mail for a free party pack redeemable at any Vons or Pavilions store.

To help customers track their spending, accumulated purchase totals during the promotion appeared on receipts. Shoppers could also get their totals at the customer service desk or by calling a toll-free number.

The party pack included a 12-pack of Coca-Cola and packages of Wilson's Jumbo Franks, Vons hot dog buns and Lay's potato chips. According to Monet LeMon, a Vons spokeswoman, the promotion was a great success. She added that promotions of this nature help boost club card memberships. Club membership is free. Benefits include savings on in-store items, discounts on travel, amusement parks and other local attractions, and access to additional in-store services.

In a Vons store SN visited in Las Vegas, the bags designed specifically for the promotion were displayed throughout the store, most prominently along the top of the frozen food cases. The bags read, "Vons Club Super Bowl Party Pack" and pictured a football with an enlarged graphic of a club member card.