Motorists can get cut-rate gasoline in Colorado again.
Safeway and King Soopers announced Monday that they are reinstating gasoline discount programs based on grocery purchases shortly after Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law a bill that allows the sale of gasoline at below-cost prices.
Under the Safeway program reinstated Monday, club card holders who buy at least $50 in groceries in a single transaction will get a 10-cent-per-gallon discount at Safeway gas stations.
“I think that’s great, because that’s more free enterprise,” said Carl Roach, filling up Monday at a Safeway in Denver.
King Soopers and City Market stores reintroduced their program with a 10-cent-per- gallon discount for every $100 in grocery purchases accumulated with a SooperCard. King Soopers and City Market are owned by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co.
The reinstatement affects all King Soopers and City Market stores with fuel centers, including two in Wyoming.
Ritter signed the bill “because he believes it will be good for consumers and that there are protections for smaller individual outlets,” Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said. The governor “will be watching this very, very closely to make sure there are protections and there are no negative effects on independent operators.”
The new law modifies a 1937 act that prevented the sale of fuel below cost.
Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association executive vice president Roy Turner called the new law “disappointing.”
Safeway and King Soopers “have thousands upon thousands of different items (on which) to make up the cost inside their stores, whereas a small retailer doesn’t have that many items,” Turner said.
Safeway and King Soopers stopped giving Colorado customers gas discounts linked to grocery purchases in November after a jury ruling that King Soopers and City Market had sold gas below cost in violation of the old law. Two independent gasoline dealers in Montrose who filed the lawsuit were awarded $1.4 million in damages.
Upon hearing of the new law, motorist Kevin Goltermann, said, “To some extent I think it’s unfair to the little guy. But any savings they can pass on to me I have to take advantage of.”
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or
kyamanouchi@ denverpost.com.
