Kroger awards frequent shoppers with free minutes

CINCINNATI Kroger announced a first of its kind loyalty program that rewards frequent shoppers with free wireless service using the company's own wireless phone service, branded i-wireless.

The free minutes rewards program enables customers to earn free airtime on their i-wireless phone, available exclusively at more than 2,200 Kroger stores nationwide, when they purchase groceries at the Kroger family of stores.

"The free minutes rewards program empowers customers to directly influence the amount they spend each month on their wireless service.  The more they shop at Kroger, the more they'll save on their wireless bill," said Paul McAleese, CEOof i-wireless.  "For loyal Kroger shoppers, free minutes enables i-wireless to deliver the best value in the marketplace today, making it an incredibly attractive option for the millions of shoppers that visit a Kroger store on a weekly basis."

i-wireless customers that subscribe to a monthly rate plan or a pay-as-you-go plan will receive 20 free minutes of airtime for every $100 they spend in-store.  Customers are notified via text message of their reward in an immediate fashion, often receiving the message by the time they reach the parking lot following their shopping transaction.