Safeway Canada Eliminates Loyalty Card

Customers shopping at any Safeway store in Canada won’t have to worry about forgetting their loyalty cards at home. As of April 4, Safeway Canada eliminated the store’s actual loyalty card and extended the program savings to anyone, regardless of whether they were members of the program in the past.

Safeway Canada spokesperson John Graham told Loyalty360 that the program has been operating since 1998. Discounted items—an average of 4,500 per week—will now be available to all customers.

Graham said company officials have heard for some time from customers about the number of loyalty and credit cards they carry with them while shopping.

“We introduced card-free savings at Safeway,” Graham said. “The intent is to offer everyone the lowest prices every day with no more card. The ability to carry one less card is seen as a greater convenience for our customers. A large percentage of our shoppers had used the club card. It’s been a fundamental part of the way we offer savings.”

Graham said the initial early feedback has been very positive among customers.

“The research and feedback we had over the years showed that some customers had a preference for not requiring a card,” he said.

Graham clarified that this change is exclusive to Safeway stores in Canada, and doesn’t include Safeway stores in the U.S. Sobey’s Inc. acquired Safeway Canada for $5.8 billion last November.

Graham said customers will now benefit from an additional 1,500 items per week that will be discounted due to the elimination of the Safeway Club card. This translates to 6,000 discounted items from an average of 40,000 items found in a typical Safeway store.

“There are lots of components to our relationships with our customers,” Graham said. “We have a strong service program focused on responding and anticipating customer needs. We have an AIR MILES program and we’re offering additional incentives to Safeway contests.”

“It seems to be very well received and most people relate to overflowing wallets, and they’re still able to access savings and coupons,” Graham said.

What’s more, Graham said customers will be able to save as much as 10 cents per liter of gasoline at Safeway fuel locations.

“It’s exciting for our customers,” Graham said. “Sixteen years has been habit-forming for customers with some level of nostalgia. But they no longer need a club card. Anyone can save regardless of whether they were ever a member or not, every day, and in every department.”

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