Dive Brief:

• Meijer announced on Thursday it is updating its mPerks loyalty program to offer more personalized rewards and provide customers with greater savings on products. 
• The upcoming changes include allowing customers to earn points on products in certain categories, allowing all qualifying prescriptions to earn points instead of every fifth prescription, and extending the points expiration deadline from 45 days to 90. With the changes, Meijer is also allowing mPerks members to choose when and how they redeem points.
• Meijer is making the changes at a time when ongoing high inflation and consumer price concerns are prompting retailers to highlight value, with loyalty programs as a key way to offer savings while driving engagement.

Dive Insight:

Meijer is ringing in the new year with a refreshed loyalty program.

The changes will first start to take effect in Southeast Michigan, where customers will transition to the new program on Monday, and the rollout will continue across the retailer’s other markets throughout January and February, per the press release. The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer has roughly 500 stores across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

Any existing unclaimed rewards will automatically transition to the new program and retain their same value, while in-progress rewards, along with existing pharmacy credits, will become points, Meijer said. Customers can sign up for free for mPerks on Meijer’s website or app. 

"Meijer is committed to providing value and convenience for our customers, and the changes we've made to mPerks expands on both by offering more personalized savings, along with more opportunities to earn points," Meijer Vice President of Customer Strategy Derek Steele said in a statement. "We want to ensure we're continuing to provide personalized value while also making the experience fun and engaging."

Meijer said it has “millions” of mPerks members, and that during the first half of the year members saved more than $100 million through the program.

Meijer is among several grocers who have recently refreshed their loyalty programs. A few months ago, Kroger expanded nationwide its Kroger Boost membership program, which it launched in late 2021. That program, which offers unlimited no-fee deliveries on orders over $35 and double fuel points for every dollar spent, is part of the grocery company’s Kroger Plus loyalty program.

During the summer, Instacart launched a new subscription service, Instacart+, to replace Instacart Express and added new features such as a shared carts function and benefits for Chase cardholders. 

Others have just recently entered the loyalty rewards space. Last year, The Fresh Market and e-grocers Misfit Markets all launched their first such programs.