Safeway Installs Color Coupon Printers Chainwide

PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Following a successful pilot, Safeway, Inc. is deploying new color coupon printers at the check stands of its stores across the chain, using Catalina Connections printers, from St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Catalina Marketing Corp.

"We see the new Catalina Connections printers as an important enhancement of Catalina's product," said Michael Minasi, s.v.p., marketing, Safeway. "It represents an exciting new communications opportunity for Safeway. The addition of color will allow us to use the printers in an entirely new way."

Catalina said the Safeway installation marks the official launch of an initiative that will put approximately 145,000 new printers in grocery stores belonging to the Catalina Network throughout the U.S. by the end of 2007.

The technology for the new printers was designed by Epson.

"Safeway was instrumental in helping us pilot and launch the official color printer installation process," said Ed Kuehnle, president of Catalina. "They are a long-standing Catalina retail partner and have always understood the value Catalina's targeted marketing provides to their consumers. The full-graphics, color communications are creating new opportunities for our retail and our manufacturer partners, allowing them to more effectively promote and enhance their stores' and their brands' equity, and ultimately having lasting consumer impact."

Delhaize-owned Sweetbay Supermarkets has also piloted the new printers.

Safeway operates 1,772 stores in the United States and Canada and had annual sales of $38.4 billion in 2005.
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