To help its shoppers save during tough economic times, New England grocer Big Y Foods, Inc. has joined forces with three local gas station suppliers: F.L. Roberts, O’Connell Oil Associate and Pride.

The program, which is scheduled to run through Dec. 31, works with Big Y’s Express Savings Club silver and gold coins that customers earn for grocery purchases: five cents off per gallon with a silver Big Y coin up to 20 gallons, or 20 cents off per gallon with a gold Big Y coin up to 20 gallons. Both offers are for single transactions only, and not cumulative. Rather than at the supermarkets, the coins are redeemed by the gas station attendants, who adjust the price on the pump according to the coin used before the customer pumped his or her gas. For every grocery purchase of $50 and over at participating Big Y stores, customers can receive a bonus silver coin.

Fifty-two gas stations in all four counties of western Massachusetts and Stafford, Conn., are offering the promotion. The participating F.L. Roberts, O’Connell and Pride locations, which are listed on Big Y’s Web site at www.bigy.com, sell Pride, Mobil, Sunoco, Shell and Valero branded gas.

“This gas savings collaboration is an example of how area family businesses can come together to promote buying local,” noted the regional food retailer.

At Big Y, coins are distributed as a surprise for regular shoppers, or as a prize for playing the grocer’s “Instant Rewards” game at checkout.

Springfield, Mass.-based Big Y operates 57 stores throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts, and employs over 9,100 associates.