ALBERTSON'S EXPANDS PROGRAM

BOISE, Idaho -- Albertson's here said last week that it has expanded its Internet home grocery-shopping program to include the entire state of Texas.

erritory.

"We're pleased to be expanding our on-line shopping service to the entire state of Texas," said Patrick Steele, Albertson's executive vice president for information systems and technology, in a statement. "This expansion allows us to serve and meet the needs of a broader range of customers."

Albertson's offers about 6,000 non-perishable items through its Web site, Albertsons.com, at the same prices as Albertson's brick-and-mortar stores, according to the retailer.

When a consumer orders an item, it is confirmed against a computer checklist and orders are delivered in sealed cardboard boxes to the customer's home or office.

Albertson's also provides customer-service representatives who are available through an on-line chat, e-mail or a 1-800-phone number 24 hours a day to ensure customer satisfaction and service.

Delivery is free for orders of $60 or more and as low as $5.95 for orders under $60, according to Albertson's. Orders placed in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are delivered the next day while orders placed outside that area are delivered within the next three to five days via UPS.

There are no sign-up or monthly fees for the on-line grocery-shopping service and there are no per-order service charges, the retailer said.