Kroger pumps up fuel-loyalty program

Now that gasoline is cheaper, the fuel-savings component of retailer loyalty programs isn’t such a powerful draw. So retailers such as Kroger are employing new tactics to keep customers interested.

Throughout the month of February, Kroger customers can participate in an event to win free fuel for a month by sharing photos that answer "How Low Can You Go?" with fuel points at the company’s 2,000-plus fuel centers. "Customers are seeing prices at the pump that we haven't seen in years," said Mike Donnelly, Kroger's senior vice president of merchandising.

"Combine that with all the ways you can save on fuel at Kroger, and many of our customers are filling their tanks for less than a dollar per gallon at our pumps. Fuel points are one of the ways we say thank you to our loyal customers every day."

Customers are invited to post on Kroger's Facebook page with the hashtag #FuelPointsSweeps; or post on Instagram or Twitter, tag Kroger and use the hashtag #FuelPointsSweeps; to be automatically entered to win. Forty-four final winners will be selected at random during the month of February and awarded "free fuel for a month" -- a $200 gift card. Customers can earn 1 fuel point for every $1 in groceries purchased, redeemable in nearly all supermarket fuel centers and convenience store locations, as well as participating Shell fuel stations. Most Kroger gift cards earn double points every day.

Customers can also earn double fuel points on No-Contract Wireless Phones and Airtime Cards. Every qualifying prescription earns customers 50 fuel points, as does participation in Kroger's Customer 1st Survey.

Kroger has 2,631 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's.