EXCLUSIVE: How Giant Food Protects Shoppers From Rising Grocery Costs

Since last April, 250 million points were issued as part of Giant’s 2X Earn on private brand loyalty benefits.

Even as overall grocery inflation remains stable, pockets of price upticks are still happening in some food-at-home categories and consumer sentiment still leans cautious. Recognizing the market that has yet to return to the prior definitions of normal, Giant Food has continuously worked to minimize price impact on shoppers across its footprint in the greater District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) region.

“The lens at the center of it is the idea that ensuring groceries are affordable is probably one of the most pressing issues for any grocery retailer. I know for a fact that it is here at Giant. We obsess over looking at the data and how folks are shopping and what they are thinking,” said Ryan Draude, director, omnichannel loyalty, CRM and shopper marketing, during a recent interview with Progressive Grocer.

Heeding sentiment and some shifting behaviors in light of ongoing elevated inflation, Giant Food has deployed a variety of tactics to help its customers get the groceries they want and need while also keeping its business healthy.

One of those tactics was Giant’s Compare and Save initiative launched about a year ago. Through this initiative, the retailer spotlighted more than 15,000 private label items and offered deals like extra loyalty points for store brand purchases. 

“That was a big investment, and a quarter billion points have been earned with that program,” Draude reported, noting that those points equate to more than $3 million in value, with savings ranging from fuel discount to offers for free milk and rotisserie chickens.  “We’re proud of the fact that we are giving people more ways to be rewarded.” More than 80% of Giant sales come from a carded loyalty member. 

Building on that successful value-centric tactic, Giant Food introduced a Fresh Low Price initiative in January. “When you look at things like meat, product, dairy – those high velocity products within the fresh category – this goes away from the idea of ‘I don’t know if the price is going to be high or low this week,’” he explained. “This is the idea that shoppers can count on a specific price that is going to be held constant. That dependability of coming to Giant for the things that they are purchasing most is a way to ensure that we are trying to add as much value as possible.”