Target is among the retailers announcing new rounds of savings for its customers.
3. Target, Kroger, Dollar General Bring On the Savings
Grocers of all stripes are still focusing on offering savings to inflation-weary shoppers, and this week Kroger unveiled an expanded partnership with Inmar Intelligence that brings the grocer’s popular Cash Back program to both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce shoppers. By giving their consumers a choice between digital coupons and cash back, Kroger is positioning itself as a retailer that understands the dual importance of customization and savings.
“Kroger is committed to delivering maximum savings to our shoppers and we are excited to expand our relationship with Inmar to provide shoppers with a choice on how to save. Since our cash back launch with Inmar in August, we have seen more than a 35% increase in the savings enjoyed by our shoppers by providing more choice on how to save,” Pete Miles-Prouten, SVP head of strategic partnerships and data ventures at Kroger, told Progressive Grocer.
“With Inmar's Flex Offer technology, we have also simplified the offer publishing and management process for our CPG partners – enabling us to deliver more value to shoppers,” Miles-Prouten said.
Also this week, Target announced that it is reducing prices on more than 2,000 products during the holiday season. The retailer said it is making the move to help its shoppers celebrate occasions with more budget-friendly options across several categories.
Further, Dollar General is providing discounts with storewide sales events for the holidays, with DG Deal Days set to begin on Halloween and running each week through Dec. 21. More than 6,000 items storewide will be discounted.
4. Jewel-Osco, Rouses, Kroger Keep Growing
It was a week for store growth as many grocers unveiled new locations. The newest Jewel-Osco store was unveiled on Oct. 22 in Diamond, Ill., and reflects the latest in the grocer’s store design and assortment, spanning 62,918 square feet. The produce department, across from an onsite Starbucks and adjacent to the floral department, features a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables merchandised in creative, eye-catching displays. From there, shoppers can browse an expanded deli department, featuring a wide variety of grab-and-go and fresh prepared foods.
Meanwhile, Rouses Markets recently marked the grand opening of its latest Mississippi store. The 60,000-square-foot store in Biloxi is the fifth Rouses location in Mississippi and the 66th overall, further growing the company’s Gulf Coast presence. The store’s opening comes shortly after the debut of a new location in Picayune, Miss., last month.
Further west, Kroger’s Dallas division opened its newest Kroger Marketplace store, in Melissa, Texas – the company’s first new store in North Texas since 2019. The location features a Starbucks kiosk, a Murray’s Cheese counter, a fuel center with 18 fueling positions and a grab-and-go kiosk with beverages and snacks, and full-service grocery, pharmacy and expanded general merchandise, including outdoor-living products, home goods, apparel, toys and more.
5. The Pharmacy Race Heats Up
As the future of retail pharmacies remains in question, companies like Walmart and Amazon are finding ways to step in. Amazon recently shared that it is offering expanded 24/7 access to a pharmacist, and also more than doubling the number of cities where consumers can get same-day delivery of their medicines, adding capabilities in urban centers including Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and San Diego, among others.
Amazon is offering consumers free and rapid delivery of prescription medicines via modular pharmacies located within its same-day fulfillment centers, thus leveraging the organization’s advanced logistics network and technologies. By the end of 2025, Amazon estimates that 45% of customers in the United States will be eligible for same-day delivery of their medications.
For its part, Walmart is also expanding its prescription delivery capabilities by integrating prescription medications and general merchandise into one streamlined order for delivery. The new offering is now live in six states: Arkansas, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina and Wisconsin.
By the end of January 2025, Walmart's Pharmacy Delivery is expected to be available in 49 states, reaching tens of millions of customers.