Meijer makes holiday magic for customers

Meijer has made the holidays a lot merrier for 213 very special customers.

The retailer picked 213 customers at random to get a big surprise at checkout: their entire shopping cart filled with gifts and groceries was given to them as a holiday gift.

"The holidays are a time for kindness and joy, and the Very Merry Meijer event was a perfect opportunity for us to share the spirit of the season with those we hold dear: our customers," co-chairman Hank Meijer said. "Our family has always believed that our customers don't need us, but that we need them. That philosophy still guides us today. We are very thankful for our customers, and wanted to find a special way to wish them a very Merry Christmas."

The Very Merry Meijer event resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in "gifts" to Meijer customers –- with shopping carts ranging from $350 to upwards of $1,200 in value –- along with a mixture of emotions that spurred tears, laughter and even speechlessness from very happy customers.

For some, the surprise brought hope in the true meaning of Christmas; for others it provided tremendous relief during a time that can be quite stressful.

Meijer released a video showcasing how the retailer surprised its customers during the busiest holiday season of the year.In most cases, the store director revealed the gift upon checkout, but Hank Meijer, his brother and Co-Chairman Doug Meijer, and Meijer President J.K. Symancyk also helped spread holiday cheer.

"As a retailer, we work hard all year long to provide value to our customers through the quality products we sell, the experience we provide and the many ways we offer savings," Symancyk said. "The Very Merry Meijer event was our fun way of making the season bright for our customers. That is what the holidays are all about – simple acts of kindness."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lVm16t2qQYYou can watch the video here.