MONTREAL, Nov. 8, 2017 /CNW/ - Building on the success of its two loyalty programs, Loblaw Companies Limited (TSX: L, "Loblaw") today announced plans to create the PC Optimum program, combining the best of Pharmaprix Optimum and PC Plus programs on February 1, 2018. Through a single card or app, members will be able to earn and redeem loyalty points more conveniently across Loblaw's network of nearly 2,500 stores and its e-commerce sites. 

The PC Plus and Pharmaprix Optimum programs are strongly appreciated by their numerous members who enjoy redeeming points to save money on their necessities and indulgences.

"Retail is increasingly about customer relationships and loyalty will be central to the future of personalized value and experiences," said Galen G. Weston, Executive Chairman and CEO, Loblaw Companies Limited. "Keeping customers at the heart of our thinking, we created the single PC Optimum loyalty program to give members the value they have come to trust, with the ability to earn more points and redeem them in more stores than ever before."

Members of the Pharmaprix Optimum and PC Plus programs can continue to earn and redeem points as usual until January 31, 2018.  At that point, the Pharmaprix Optimum program will end, and members can choose to convert their points to the new PC Optimum points at their full value, or can continue to redeem Pharmaprix Optimum points until May 2, 2018 in accordance with the Pharmaprix Optimum Program Terms and Conditions.

"We know how much people care about their loyalty points, so we created the PC Optimum program by listening to our customers," said Jim Noteboom, Senior Vice President, Loyalty and Consumer Insights, Loblaw Companies Limited. "They want a single, easy-to-understand program, covering our entire assortment of food, health, beauty and apparel. Most of all, the PC Optimum program will deliver on their expectation of equal value when the best of the programs are combined, with additional options to save even more."

The PC Optimum program will include elements of the Pharmaprix Optimum and PC Plus loyalty programs that members love, including weekly personalized offers, the ability to redeem points for almost anything in our stores, and exclusive points-earning and points-redemption events.

When it launches on February 1, 2018, the PC Optimum program will provide a range of features requested by customers:

• Equal value when their PC Plus and Pharmaprix Optimum points are converted to PC Optimum points.
• A new card and app for loyalty offers across the Loblaw and Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix network.
• The ability to earn and redeem points in Pharmaprix, Maxi and Provigo stores across Québec, and online at provigo.ca, joefresh.com and beautyBoutique.ca.
• The ability to redeem faster. With the PC Plus program, members can redeem only once they reach 20,000 points. The threshold will be lowered to 10,000 points with the PC Optimum program.
• 50 per cent more points (15 points vs. the current 10 points) for almost every dollar spent at Pharmaprix.
• The PC Optimum program will have a single, simple redemption table – i.e. 10,000 points equals $10 of value.
• President's Choice Financial® Mastercard® cardholders will earn up to 30 PC Optimum points for every dollar they spend across Loblaw's retail network, with an additional 15 PC Optimum points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart / Pharmaprix stores. PC Financial has provided Canadians with more than $1 billion in free groceries.

Loblaw has begun notifying members of both PC Plus and Pharmaprix Optimum of the pending change. The company will continue to share details with members over the coming months. More information is available at www.pcoptimum.ca.

About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unit holder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, financial services, and wireless mobile products and services. With nearly 2,500 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 200,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.

Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well® – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the companies' stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at more than 1,300 Shoppers Drug Mart^® and Pharmaprix^® locations and more than 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial^® financial services; affordable Joe Fresh^® fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top consumer brands in Life Brand^®, no name^® and President's Choice^®. Through the PC Plus^® and Shoppers Optimum^® loyalty programs, more than one in every three Canadians are rewarded for shopping with the companies.

SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2017/08/c1402.html