Giant Eagle Requiring Advantage Cards for Self-Checkout

Giant Eagle is now requiring shoppers using self-checkout lanes to have a store loyalty card.

The Pittsburgh-based supermarket chain recently implemented new technology which prompts customers to scan their Advantage Card at the self-checkout point-of-sale prior to proceeding to scan, bag and pay for groceries. In the past, anyone could use the multi-format retailer’s self-checkout aisles, with or without a loyalty card.

A company spokesman was quoted in a local media report as saying that the new policy requiring an Advantage Card ensures that customers are receiving weekly specials, GetGo fuelperks, cash register coupon offers and other savings.

The company said the move also enables it to contact customers in the event of a product recall or other time-sensitive issues.

The transitition has already occurred in some stores and will start next week in others, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

With approximately $9.9 billion in annual sales and ranked 29 on Forbes magazine’s largest private corporations list, Giant Eagle has 230 supermarkets and 182 fuel and convenience stores throughout western Pennsylvania, north central Ohio, northern West Virginia and Maryland.