As an Albertson's customer due to location and convenience, I have zero desire to use apps, loyality programs, or otherwise have a "relationship" with the place I buy bread from.

This marketing spend would be better placed keeping stores clean and having friendly cashiers and stockers. If I wanted a race to the bottom on prices I'd go to Costco or Aldi.

Getting a girlfriend has taught me I can never avoid this stuff. There isn't a rewards program made that she won't sign up for, because look at all the money she can save!

Unless you're paying for everything in pure cash, they're still gathering the data anyway and keying it to your credit card number.

Speaking of ads and marketing, to me, “Kroger” has always sounded like an awful name for a grocery store. It sounds more like a Capcom video game boss than anything.

In the PNW, their brand is "Fred Meyer", although some older folks like to call it "Freddie's".

Direct deals delivered via the app will make Krolbertsons hundreds of millions of profit a year, probably more than they make off of food.

Direct deals meaning direct ad sales from vendors to KrAb. At that scale programmatic won't be as lucrative, except as backfill.