Tesco plans loyalty card to stem slide at US chain

Tesco, the world's No 3 retailer, will test a version of its successful Clubcard loyalty card in the US as it battles to stem losses at its Fresh & Easy chain. The British supermarket group said yesterday it would trial the card, to be called "Friends of Fresh & Easy," in seven stores in central California this autumn. If successful, it could be rolled out across the chain by the end of February, the Financial Times newspaper said, quoting Fresh & Easy chief executive Tim Mason. Fresh & Easy racked up £186 million (Dh1.09 billion) of losses in the year ended February, more than analysts' expected and putting a question mark over Tesco's goal, launched in 2007, to conquer the US with discounter-style neighbourhood stores. New Chief Executive Phil Clarke has pledged a significant reduction in losses this year and that the chain will break even towards the end of the 2012-3 financial year. MF Global analyst Mike Dennis, a long-standing critic of Fresh & Easy, said earlier this month a loyalty card would be a high-risk strategy for a chain which has relied heavily on money-off coupons to drive sales. "It could confuse shoppers who are meant to believe that Fresh & Easy is a already price competitive and could impact sales in the change over process from coupons to collecting loyalty points," he said. Espirito Santo analysts, however, said the commitment to a loyalty card suggested Tesco management were more comfortable about the underlying Fresh & Easy business. Tesco said US loyalty card holders would earn one point for every dollar spent and would be able to exchange their points for cash-back rewards. Tesco's Clubcard scheme is one of the most successful in retailing, with over 30 million members in 12 countries. From / Gulf News