As Kroger awaits a judge’s decision in a legal battle with regulators over its multibillion-dollar plan to merge with Albertsons, the supermarket operator is making the case to shoppers that it is focused on helping them save money on groceries.
On Wednesday, the company began a weeklong set of promotions it described as a “a mega-sales event honoring customers with the retailer's hottest deals and digital coupons.” Known as “Customer Appreciation Week,” the program — a first for Kroger — will run through Oct. 1 and offers discounts on a broad range of private label and name-brand products.
Customer Appreciation Week is intended to show shoppers Kroger is “so grateful for the trust” it receives from customers, Stuart Aitken, the retailer’s senior vice president and chief merchant and marketing officer, said in a statement, adding that it wants to “show our sincere appreciation and say thank you for choosing Kroger.”
The event represents the first time Kroger has run this type of sales program, a Kroger spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Kroger has made a point of drawing attention to its intention to bring prices down if it is able to combine with Albertsons, but did not link Customer Appreciation Week to the proposed mega-merger. In August, the company announced that it would devote $1 billion to cutting prices if the transaction receives clearance.
Customer Appreciation Week includes promotions such as two half-gallons of Kroger orange juice for $5 and a 24-ounce jar of Kroger pasta sauce for 99 cents. Another deal offers people two free 12-packs of certain kinds of soda if they buy two.
Shoppers who belong to Kroger's Boost membership program have access to additional savings during the program and can redeem those offers up to five times, Kroger said.
