Kroger Co. increasing its fuel discounts

Change comes as Giant Eagle promotion for May is ending

Kroger Co. is offering double fuel points for store purchases made on weekends through June to increase per gallon gas savings.

Kroger Co. said this week it will provide a quicker path to larger discounts on gasoline through its rewards program, three weeks after Giant Eagle announced it would offer a larger discount on gas under its rewards program.

Kroger, the Cincinnati-based chain which dominates the Toledo-area grocery market, said it will give double fuel points for store purchases made on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

The points can help Kroger customers save up to $1 off the per gallon price of fuel at Kroger fuel centers.

The “2x Fuel Points Weekends” promotion started Friday and runs through June 30.

The promotion works in conjunction with Kroger’s loyalty card program.

Customers must access their Kroger loyalty card online account and then download a digital coupon to their account that activates the 2x Fuel Points Weekends promotion.

Thereafter, anytime customers purchase items on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, they receive double points toward fuel discounts.

The digital coupon can be obtained by going to www.kroger.com/summerfuel.

Kroger said the digital coupon will be valid for every weekend through June 30, and that subsequent monthly coupons will be available for a limited time.

Typically, Kroger customers get 100 fuel points for every $100 in groceries purchased.

For every 100 points, customers get 10 cents per gallon off the price of fuel during one fill-up at Kroger fuel centers.

Beth Wilkins, a Kroger spokesman, said that as the summer arrives, shopping patterns change and weekends become Kroger’s busiest days. It was decided to offer the promotion for weekends because that is when Kroger could reach the most customers.

Kroger’s promotion comes just as a fuel discount promotion at rival Giant Eagle stores in the Toledo area is about to expire.

On May 3, Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle, which has stores in Sylvania Township and Rossford, increased its fuelperks! rewards to a 20-cent per gallon discount for May.

The discounts are given when consumers purchase items at a Giant Eagle store, receiving a 20-cent per gallon discount credit for every $50 spent.

Under Giant Eagle’s program, discounts are good for 60 days after being awarded.

Contact Jon Chavez at: jchavez@theblade.com or 419-724-6128.