AA announces fuel savings programme for all New Zealanders

Media Release: Tuesday 11 October 2011

AA announces fuel savings programme for all New Zealanders

The AA has announced today that on 7 November 2011 it will launch a fuel savings programme, called AA Smartfuel, for all New Zealand motorists.

AA Smartfuel will enable motorists to combine fuel discounts from different retailers and use their total value to reduce the cost of fuel at BP and participating Caltex service stations. Motorists can use AA Smartfuel to get a maximum of 50 litres of free fuel each time they fill up.

AA Smartfuel General Manager Ian Sutcliffe says “for a long time motorists have wanted a way to substantially reduce the amount of money it costs to fill-up their vehicles. AA Smartfuel will do exactly that.”

Motorists earn, combine and redeem their cents per litre discounts by swiping either their AA Membership card or their AA Smartfuel card at Caltex, BP and participating retailers. The fuel discounts expire at the end of the calendar month following the month in which they were earned.

“AA Members will receive their new Membership cards in the coming weeks, and AA Smartfuel cards will be available free to non-Members from 7 November at participating retailers and service stations.”

“The list of retailers who are participating in AA Smartfuel is still commercially sensitive, and will be announced closer to the launch date.”

AA Smartfuel will replace the Automobile Association’s existing loyalty programme, AA Rewards.

“Since its establishment in 1998, AA Rewards has provided AA Members with over $80 million of benefits. However, Members have often asked how we could help reduce the price of fuel. AA Smartfuel is designed to do exactly that.”

“AA Members will continue to receive exclusive benefits, over and above the cents per litre discounts for all motorists, in recognition of their valued membership of the Automobile Association.”

AA Smartfuel is a joint venture between the Automobile Association and Smartfuel New Zealand Ltd.

For more information about AA Smartfuel visit www.aa.co.nz/smartfuel.

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Media Background Note: Tuesday 11 October 2011

AA Smartfuel is the only fuel savings programme which enables all New Zealand motorists to combine fuel discounts from different retailers and then redeem their total value next time they fill up.

AA Members
New AA Membership cards are being sent to all AA Members. They have the new AA Smartfuel logo on them and are ready to be swiped to earn and redeem fuel discounts. AA Members will receive exclusive benefits in addition to the cents per litre fuel discounts available to all motorists.

Non-AA Members
From the launch date, motorists who are not AA Members can participate in the fuel savings programme by collecting a free AA Smartfuel Card from AA Centres, BP and participating Caltex service stations, and retail partners. These AA Smartfuel cards are activated to earn fuel discounts immediately but must be registered before they can be used to redeem the discounts.

Launch Date
The launch date of AA Smartfuel is Monday 7 November 2011.

Participating Retail Partners
The list of where motorists can shop to collect fuel discounts is still commercially sensitive. It will be announced closer to the launch date.

Fuel Partners
Motorists will be able to redeem their cents per litre fuel discounts at 204 BP and 153 Caltex service stations across New Zealand. Fuel sales at these 357 service stations represent approximately 50% of the total fuel purchased by New Zealand motorists.

Fuel
Motorists can use AA Smartfuel discounts to earn up to 50 litres of free fuel each time they fill up. The average fuel fill by New Zealanders is between 30 and 35 litres.

Linking Cards
Motorists can earn bigger fuel discounts by “linking” their AA Membership or AA Smartfuel card with the cards of family and friends.

Keeping track of AA Smartfuel discounts
Motorists will be able to go online anytime to get their fuel discount balance, or they can text BAL to 246. This text message will cost them 20 cents. Motorists will also be able to sign up to receive free AA Smartfuel emails which will alert them to special fuel discount deals being offered by retail partners, and emails to notify them when their discounts are about to expire

Points Expiry
AA Smartfuel discounts expire at the end of the calendar month following the month in which they were earned. When any discount is redeemed, the remaining AA Smartfuel balance of unredeemed discounts is cleared to zero – in other words no fuel discount is carried forward to the next redemption.

Manawatu Trial
AA Smartfuel has been successfully trialled as “Smartfuel” in the Manawatu since September 2010. 64% of households participated in the programme. The biggest fuel discount redeemed during the trial has been $2.13 per litre. The most active card member in the trial has saved $388 to date on fuel costs. The trial’s average fill up this year is 36.4 litres, which is 73% of the maximum 50 litres. The average saving from the trial on the cost of fuel is $8.16.

AA Rewards
The AA will be discontinuing its existing loyalty programme, AA Rewards. Any AA Rewards Points earned by Members that have not been redeemed by the launch of AA Smartfuel, will be used to reduce the cost of their AA Membership when it is due for renewal.

More information
For more information about AA Smartfuel get online at www.aa.co.nz/smartfuel

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