Meijer keeps up a fun holiday tradition

Meijer likes to surprise customers around the holidays.

The Midwest retailer played Santa and surprised an unsuspecting customer at every one of its 247 stores – in just one day – with a $1,000 Meijer shopping spree to help make the holidays a little brighter.  The prices were given during the sixth annual Very Merry Meijer event, which took place on Dec.14.

"Very Merry Meijer is an annual event we started in 2014 to help spread cheer and give thanks to our customers,” stated executive chairman Hank Meijer. "Although the holidays can be stressful, this is our way of celebrating the spirit of the season with our customers and team members." 

In previous years, Meijer surprised one customer in each of its stores by gifting them their entire cart, brimming with groceries, gifts and decorations, at the checkout. This year, however, the retailer surprised customers  shopping in the aisles with the $1,000 shopping spree. It also designated two Meijer team members as personal shoppers to help the lucky customers. (The team members each received a $100 Meijer gift card.)

In total, the six Very Merry Meijer events held since 2014 have gifted more than 1,400 customers with toys, clothes, electronics, groceries and small appliances. Meijer released a video that showcases how the retailer surprised its customers. In most cases, the store director revealed the shopping spree to customers shopping in the aisles, but Hank Meijer, Doug Meijer, Mark Meijer, and Meijer president and CEO Rick Keyes also helped spread holiday cheer.