There are certain expenses people can scale back when money gets tight. Food isn’t really one of them, though.

It’s certainly possible to shop more strategically when you need to conserve funds. But you can’t just say, “Oh hey, I think I won’t buy groceries this month” the way you might cancel a streaming service you can no longer afford.

In light of this, you’d think that a major player in the supermarket space like Albertsons would be pretty comfortable in its niche. But like other big grocery chains, Albertsons is facing fierce competition from rivals.

As competitive as Albertsons might be on price, it’s hard to beat a giant like Walmart in that arena.

Plus, supermarkets are facing increased competition from discount grocers like Aldi. At a time when shoppers need to save money, many are willing to settle for lesser-known brands if it means paying less for a cartful of food.

This means that chains like Albertsons have to get strategic to hang onto customers. And sometimes, that means catering to customers who have proven themselves to be the most loyal.

Albertsons hopes a new perk will attract customers.

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Albertsons introduces fantastic loyalty perk

Albertsons just added a new perk to its loyalty program in an effort to maintain its customer base and boost sales.

Members of Albertsons’s free for U loyalty program can now get a three-month extended free trial of Uber One. Paid FreshPass annual members, meanwhile, are eligible for six months of Uber One for free.

Related: Amazon adds physical stores, but CEO has dire prediction

Uber One membership perks include:

  • $0 delivery fees on food and other orders that meet a minimum spending requirement
  • Up to 10% off eligible Uber Eats deliveries and pickups
  • 6% back on eligible Uber rides

“This expanded collaboration builds on the strong partnership we’ve already built between Uber and Albertsons Cos. – and makes shopping not just easier, but more rewarding,” said Hashim Amin, Head of Grocery & Retail for North America at Uber. “By bringing Uber One benefits to all of Albertsons Cos. loyalty members, we’re offering even more value and convenience across the experiences customers already love.”

Albertsons has enjoyed substantial growth in its loyalty memberships. As of mid-October, its loyalty program had 48.7 million members, reports Grocery Dive.

Albertsons also isn’t the only company to partner with Uber. Kroger recently expanded its relationship with Uber, and in September, Aldi became available on Uber Eats for the first time. 

A strategic move for Albertsons

Albertsons isn’t the only major retailer to focus on its most loyal customers. In recent months, Costco has taken key steps to please its Executive members and encourage Gold Star members to upgrade. 

Not only did Costco introduce early shopping hours for Executive members, but Executive members also now receive a $10 monthly credit for orders of $150 or more placed through SameDay.Costco.com or Instacart.

Related: Costco shares key plan to keep prices down

Of course, traditional supermarkets can’t simply expand hours just for loyalty members. That simply wouldn’t fly. But offering Uber One access is a move in the right direction. 

For one thing, the Uber One perk is a nice differentiator for Albertsons. It also strengthens the company’s digital strategy.

Plus, let’s face it — Uber One trials are probably a fairly low-cost endeavor for Albertsons. And if customers use that perk, it will only drive sales.

All told, grocery chains cannot afford to grow complacent in today’s competitive market. Being an essential retailer no longer gets the job done.

Supermarket chains need to keep getting creative and offering perks to retain customers. The fact that Albertsons recognizes that could make a huge difference in the company’s bottom line.

Related: Dollar Tree CEO offers customers a pricing promise