Safeway Donation Drive Piggybacks Loyalty Cards
Safeway is using its loyalty card program to donate up to $1 million to local non-profits this month.
The grocer’s “Shop & Care” promotion lets consumers donate up to 10% of their purchase to the charity of their choice from Safeway’s list of non-profits.
Shoppers buy participating brands, which are flagged on-shelf, then show their Safeway Club Card at checkout to trigger donations. In-store radio supports the effort, which runs through March in Safeway’s 1,775 stores nationally, including Dominick’s, Vons, Pavilions, Randall’s, Genuardi’s, Carrs and Tom Thumb.
Once the program wraps up, Safeway will give each participating shopper a register receipt that shows the cardholder’s total donations accrued through the month, with instructions on how to designate which charity should get the donation.
Safeway’s list of non-profits cover four categories: hunger, health and human services, special needs, and education. All are local organizations.
“Grocery shopping is a local experience. People buy their groceries in the same communities where they live and work. So when it comes to giving, our customers expect us to make a difference locally, and we do,” said Safeway Executive VP-Chief Strategist Larree Renda in a statement. “By giving customers the power to direct donations, we help them become more involved in the donation process and we learn more about what charitable organizations are important to them.”
Pleasanton, CA-based Safeway donates about $163 million in food and funds each year to local and national non-profits. Its Seattle division alone, covering Washington, Montana, Idaho and Alaska, donated $23.2 million in 2005.
