On the 31st January, three Budgens retailers will launch the trial of a community led loyalty programme unique to the independent retail sector.

The Love Local community led loyalty programme enables Budgens retailers to enhance their support for their local communities. It also makes the benefits of a loyalty programme affordable and accessible for independent retailers.

Love Local works by shoppers signing up to the programme. A percentage of each participants spend is then allocated to a fund which will be given to buy specific items needed by local causes. Shoppers can nominate causes in store and once applications have been verified, the cause to be supported will be selected from the nominations. Each Love Local programme is unique to the retailer and their store and all the money raised by each community stays in that community.

As well as supporting local causes, shoppers will also be thanked for their participation with small giveaways consisting of a range of products given for free and offers determined by the retailers.

Retailers, Mark Richardson (Budgens of Bradford on Avon), Michael Baker (Budgens of Holt) and Noel Kavanagh Jnr (Budgens of Hedge End) will all launch their Love Local trials on 31st January. Andrew Thornton (Budgens of Crouch End and Belsize Park) will also participate in the trial in the coming months.

Retailer Michael Baker comments, “Love Local combines a community led loyalty scheme with offers or free products to thank shoppers. It is a unique concept and enables me as an independent retailer to thank my loyal shoppers whilst also providing tangible support for causes in our local community.”

Love Local comes following consumer research which revealed that shoppers did not want another loyalty card with personal benefit. Instead, they wanted to help their local communities at a micro level and support those who make a difference to people living locally. The research also showed that the community wanted to be involved in the nominating of the causes but they wanted the selection to be random, a key factor which has been incorporated into Love Local.

Donal Horgan, MD Budgens comments, “Love Local will help retailers who partner with Budgens to build and develop their already exceptional relationships in their communities. Retailers sought a means through which they can say thank you to their customers, Love Local will help them do this and brings a further dimension to the community role played by Budgens retailers; from giving £1,000’s to their local communities to their partnerships with 100’s of local suppliers”.

For more information contact Felicity Callaghan, PR Manager Budgens:
Felicity.callaghan@musgrave.co.uk / 07720 094 180

SuperValu, Ireland’s leading independent supermarket network has launched the first grocery shopping app in Ireland today. The SuperValu app, which is available for both Android and iPhone users, will allow customers to do their shopping from the palm of their hand and avail of the same promotional offers, fresh quality food and delivery service that they would expect from their local store.

Irish consumers currently spend €4 billion online each year and that figure is expected to rise to €21 billion by 2017 as more people turn to the web for their shopping needs. The huge growth in online spending is primarily being driven by mobile commerce and with 71% of the Irish population expected to own a smartphone by the beginning of 2013, the sector is set to explode. As a result, SuperValu has launched the app in order to ensure that they are first to market in Ireland with the services shoppers will expect in the future.

The app contains a range of innovative features such as the ability to scan the barcode of a product with their mobile to purchase it from the comfort of their home or check product ingredients and nutritional information.

As all SuperValu stores are owned and operated by local entrepreneurs, customers will be able to avail of tailored offers and local produce exclusive to their neighbourhood supermarket. SuperValu’s Real Rewards loyalty card can also be used in conjunction with any purchase, replicating the in-store experience.

Commenting about the app, Edel Russell, Innovation, Consumer & IT Director, SuperValu, said: “The SuperValu Online Shopping app is designed to make our customers lives easier by enabling them to shop anytime, anywhere. It forms part of SuperValu’s wider digital strategy where we regularly engage with shoppers through our 110,000 strong Facebook community and by SMS and email newsletters.”

“We offer unrivalled customer service through our Online Shopping experience.  For example, SuperValu is the only supermarket In Ireland with a butcher in all of our stores and shoppers are even able to add a note with their mobile addressed to the butcher to ask them for a specific cut of beef. So no matter where our customers are, they will have access to a supermarket trolley right from the phone in their pocket.”

SuperValu has also launched a separate recipe app that delivers hundreds of recipes from the SuperValu.ie site to help customers make the most of their weekly shop with a meal planner.

SuperValu has 195 stores and is the only retailer with a store in every county. SuperValu remains committed to local employment and sourcing from Irish producers.  In 2011 the total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu, was worth over €1.6bn to the Irish economy, serving to both create and protect almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector.

The two apps are free and can be downloaded from the Google Play Market for Android users or the iTunes store for iPhone users.