1. December 15, 2009
Another Benefit When You Shop Where You Work………..
KROGER SHOPPERS EARN FREE WIRELESS JUST FOR SHOPPING
New loyalty program rewards frequent shoppers with free airtime and the potential to eliminate their
wireless phone bill altogether
CINCINNATI, Ohio, December 15, 2009 - The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced a first of its kind
loyalty program that rewards frequent shoppers with free wireless service using the company’s own wireless
phone service, branded i-wireless. The FREE MINUTES rewards program enables customers to earn free
airtime on their i-wireless phone when they purchase groceries at the Kroger family of stores. i-wireless is
exclusively available in more than 2,200 Kroger-owned stores nationwide.
In a market that is seeing a rapid shift in demand toward unlimited price plans, the FREE MINUTES
program is a unique loyalty initiative that enables shoppers to obtain market-leading pricing and potentially
eliminate their wireless phone bill altogether. Unlimited Talk and Unlimited Talk and Text plans start at
just $40 and $50 each when you register for the FREE MINUTES program, but i-wireless subscribers can
also earn an additional $1 discount toward their next monthly service fee for every $100 spent in-store on
qualifying purchases.
“The FREE MINUTES rewards program empowers customers to directly influence the amount they spend
each month on their wireless service. The more they shop at Kroger, the more they’ll save on their wireless
bill,” said Paul McAleese, chief executive officer of i-wireless. “For loyal Kroger shoppers, FREE MINUTES
enables i-wireless to deliver the best value in the marketplace today, making it an incredibly attractive
option for the millions of shoppers that visit a Kroger store on a weekly basis.”
i-wireless customers that subscribe to a monthly rate plan or a pay-as-you-go plan will receive 20 FREE
MINUTES of airtime for every $100 they spend in-store. Customers are notified via text message of their
reward in an immediate fashion, often receiving the message by the time they reach the parking lot
following their shopping transaction.
FREE MINUTES rewards can only be redeemed on a Kroger i-wireless phone and may carry forward from
month-to-month consistent with the program rules of their selected rate plan. i-wireless users can register
for the FREE MINUTES program by linking their Shopper’s card or Rewards card number or Alternate ID
to their i-wireless phone number at the point of activation, online or by calling i-wireless Customer Care at
1-866-594-3644.
i-wireless Holiday Offer
Customers that purchase select i-wireless phones this holiday season will receive 500 minutes of free
airtime. The holiday promotional offer will be applied in two separate installments with the first $30 (300
minutes) credit being applied to a customer’s account balance when they register for the FREE MINUTES
program. The second installment will be applied as a $20 (200 minutes) credit the first time that airtime is
added to the user’s account balance.
i-wireless has introduced four new phones to its line-up including the blue and pink Sanyo 2700 with
QWERTY keyboard, the Samsung M330 with slider feature and the Samsung M240 flip phone. Phones
range in price starting at $39.99 to $49.99 when purchased with a Shopper’s card or Rewards card and are
eligible to receive the 500 minutes of free airtime.
The FREE MINUTES rewards program is not available in Food4Less stores. The holiday
promotion of 500 minutes is not available at Fred Meyer. For more information about i-wireless,
please visit www.iwirelesshome.com.
Associate Communications www.kroger.com
