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Shop Talk

Retailers, consumers and prices

May 23rd, 2008

Grocer gears up for Free Gas Friday

Posted by: Karen Jacobs
Tags: Shop Talk, ,

bilosmall.jpgAs rising gasoline prices threaten to put the brakes on consumers’ plan to travel for the Memorial Day weekend, various promotions are cropping up nationwide to help ease the pain at the pump.

For instance, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the BI-LO chain of grocery stores is planning to give away $25 in free gas to the first 200 people who show up at a certain BP gas station later today.

A local radio station will announce the gas station where the cards are to be given out, and BI-LO is expecting a stampede of customers.

BI-LO’s “Free Gas Friday” isĀ kicks off a loyalty promotion running through July 29 at the chain’s 31 Chattanooga grocery stores. As part of that promotion, shoppers can earn tokens that can be exchanged for a $25 gas card. There are no limits to the number of gas cards a customer can earn in the reward program.

“Consumers have been shocked and are frustrated” as gas prices rose, said Joyce Smart, BI-LO director of public relations.

BI-LO, based in Greenville, South Carolina, operates more than 200 supermarkets in the U.S. Southeast.

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