KROGER PRIVATE LABEL GUARANTEED WITH NATIONAL BRAND

RICHARD TURCSIK

ATLANTA -- Kroger Co.'s Atlanta division here is boosting private-label sales by making shoppers an offer they can't refuse.

If shoppers try the Kroger private label and don't like it, they get the comparable national brand for free.

Kroger has made the offer in several product categories, including Kroger Select Blend coffee, breakfast cereal and crackers.

Last month, Kroger stores sampled several varieties of crackers, including Oyster Crackers, Cheese Bits and Saltines. The crackers being tested were rotated on a weekly basis.

Shoppers were alerted to the in-store samplings via half-page, four-color newspaper ads that appeared in the food section of area newspapers.

The offer also was advertised over the company's KRGR in-store radio network.

The commercial spot heard by SN broke with the theme music from "Dragnet," and was followed by a voice-over: "Attention shoppers -- listen carefully. The following items are Kroger price busters."

Kroger Saltines and No-Salt Crackers were "yellow tag price" at $1.19 for a 16-ounce box.

"Kroger brand Saltines or No-Salt Crackers are thin and crispy and make the perfect snack or complement to your meal," the commercial stated. "And at $1.19 for a 16-ounce box, they're worth looking for with a Kroger guarantee."

Officials at Kroger could not be reached for comment, but one observer familiar with the company said that the satisfaction guarantee has been a hit with shoppers.