ITASCA, Ill. -- Supermarket chain Jewel-Osco has notified its customers that it is discontinuing its relationship with the Fuel Rewards Network (FRN) and Shell.
In a statement, it said, "This week, we began notifying customers that our Fuel Rewards program will be discontinued on June 25, 2013. You'll be able to redeem Rewards you collect in June during the month of July as you normally would have.
"We are working hard to create a great shopping experience--and our first priority is always the customer. It's because of you that we exist, open our doors every day, and have great jobs for thousands of people. Our priority right now is simple: to lower prices at Jewel-Osco. To do that, we have to make changes. We know it may seem like we're taking away something that you've come to enjoy and has given you a reason to shop with us, but in the long run, we want you to know that we think you'll see it's worth it.
"Here's the inside track on our decision: We want to save you money on the groceries that you buy the most, and investing in the Fuel Rewards program would not help lower your grocery bill."
The FRN program is owned and operated by Dallas-based Excentus Corp., the creator of and patent-holder for marketing programs and services that use price rolldown discounts at the pump as the consumer reward.
FRN provides members with the opportunity to earn free fuel by purchasing the things they normally would from more than 1,400 retail locations, nearly 700 online merchants and more than 10,000 restaurants, and redeeming their rewards at participating fuel stations across the country. To date, Excentus has helped more than 10 million consumers save hundreds of millions of dollars on fuel. Excentus currently holds nine patents on the technology behind the cents per gallon model and licenses various uses of its patent portfolio to provide private-label fuel discount programs through its business unit, Centego II LLC.
Itasca, Ill.-based Jewel-Osco operates more than 170 grocery stores and pharmacies in Illinois, Iowa and northwestern Indiana.
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