Albertsons for U loyalty program gets an upgrade

Albertsons updated its loyalty program, Albertsons for U, on Monday with the goal of simplifying it and giving members more flexibility on how and when they use the points. 

The company said that as of April 1, Albertsons for U will use a single currency, and points will not be converted into rewards as they had been previously.

Albertsons is also doubling the amount of time members have to accrue and spend points, giving them two calendar months instead of expiring in the same calendar month in which they were earned. 

“For example, if you earn 80 points in April, they will carry over to May. If you earn an additional 50 points in May, they will combine with earned April points for a total of 130 points. If unused by the end of May, the 80 points earned in April will expire,” the company said. 

Members can also still use their points on groceries and gas, but Albertsons for U now offers an “automatic cash off” option that enables members to opt in and have their points automatically converted to cash off during the next purchase. 

It takes 100 points to receive $1 off a purchase. 

Albertsons has seen tremendous growth in its loyalty program over the last few years, most recently reporting a year-over-year increase of 17% to 38.5 million in the third quarter of 2023. 

In the first quarter of 2023, the company reported a 16% quarterly increase to 35.9 million.