Report: Kroger loyalty program rewards free wireless minutes

Cincinnati Expanding the value of its loyalty program, Kroger Co. is enabling its KrogerPlus members nationwide to earn cellphone minutes during each shopping trip, according to an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Each time cardholders spend $100 within a month’s time, they will earn 20 free cellphone minutes. Shoppers who use Kroger’s co-branded MasterCard to pay for purchases earn 30 minutes per $100 they spend. Shoppers cannot exceed $1,500 per month, the article said.

The promotion will roll out chainwide across Kroger’s more than 2,300 stores by the end of the month. The chain’s Food 4 Less chain is not part of the program.

Kroger is offering the promotion with the help of its wireless phone-marketing partner, i-wireless LLC, an Urbandale, Iowa-based company that Kroger invested in back in December 2007.