Fuel Buyers Saving With Cooperative Effort Between Buzz’s Shell, Stop & Shop

By John Voket

Local business owners Gary and Laura Buzzanca of Buzz’s Shell on South Main Street are seeing a lot of smiles on the faces of their customers, who are literally cashing in on a new cooperative promotion with their neighboring Stop & Shop. Now, grocery buyers can zip right over to Buzz’s Shell from the neighboring store in Sand Hill Plaza, to turn accumulated “points” on their Stop & Shop courtesy card account into discounted gasoline purchases.

“Last night we had our biggest savings since we started the promotion,” Gary Buzzanca told The Newtown Bee during a visit to the station May 17. “She pumped 33 gallons of gas — a fill-up — and she paid $2.15 per gallon. That was a $72.60 savings.”

The supermarket company and Shell recently expanded the Stop & Shop Gas Rewards program to customers across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and New York. Customers can now redeem their Gas Rewards points at approximately 600 participating Shell stations in addition to more than 70 existing Stop & Shop gas stations throughout the Northeast.

Stop & Shop’s Gas Rewards program originally launched in 2008 with Stop & Shop branded gas stations, and had since expanded in Massachusetts last May to select markets with participating Shell stations.

With Gas Rewards, for every dollar spent at Stop & Shop on qualifying purchases, customers will earn one point, and for every 100 points they will receive 10 cents off per gallon of their next fuel purchase at Stop & Shop and participating Shell stations.

Stop & Shop and Shell customers can save up to $2.20 off per gallon by shopping at Stop & Shop with the Stop & Shop loyalty card.

“Our alliance with Shell means more choice and more value for customers,” said Mark McGowan, division president of Stop & Shop New England. “While Gas Rewards has already been a success with customers for the past few years, the added ability to save on fuel with Shell helps our customers realize the full potential for savings, which they can achieve through their gas points.”

In addition to earning points on regular qualifying grocery purchases, shoppers can load up on added savings and points in several ways: through weekly bonus point items that are promoted in the Stop & Shop circular and in the company’s New England stores; Peapod by Stop & Shop home delivery purchases; and out-of-pocket purchases at any Stop & Shop pharmacy (with some exceptions). Once points are earned, they can be redeemed at any Stop & Shop gas station or participating Shell station within 30 days from the date of purchase.

“We started seeing additional business right away, literally the day the promotion started people were driving over to fill up with their savings points,” said Laura Buzzanca. “We’re so close, it’s almost as convenient for shoppers as having the gas station right in the store parking lot.”

And since Buzz’s sells both gasoline and diesel fuel, even commercial drivers or those with diesel engine vehicles can benefit.

“Right after the program started at the end of April we had another customer save $1.90 per gallon on her fill-up,” Gary Buzzanca said. “So she also paid just over two bucks a gallon, just because she had a busy month of grocery shopping.”

How Gas Rewards Works:

*When customers shop with their Stop & Shop card, they automatically earn points toward gas. For every $1 spent on qualifying purchases, one point is earned.

*For every 100 points earned, customers can receive 10 cents off per gallon at the pump.

*Gas Reward points are automatically added to shopper’s Stop & Shop loyalty card. Customers can track their points on their receipt, online, through the new Stop & Shop mobile app, or by calling the Stop & Shop Card Hotline at 877-366-2668.

*Gas Rewards points may be redeemed at all Stop & Shop gas stations and at more than 600 participating Shell stations throughout the Northeast.

*At Stop & Shop gas station pumps, customers scan their Stop & Shop wallet card or key tag and fill up on savings. At Shell pumps, customers swipe their Stop & Shop wallet card or enter the 13-digit number from the key tag.

*Customers may use up to 2,200 points at each redemption, with a 35-gallon maximum per vehicle per fill-up.

*Garden State travelers should know the program is not available in New Jersey.

For a complete listing of Stop & Shop stations and participating Shell stations visit www.stopandshop.com or www.shell.us/stopandshop.