Peapod Transforms Chicago Tunnel Into Virtual Grocery Store

Chicago's more than one million weekly train passengers can scan order, and schedule home or office delivery of groceries via their smartphones using a virtual grocery store created by online grocer Peapod in the city’s highly traveled State and Lake Station Tunnel.

The campaign features wrapped tunnel walls with larger-than-life ads of grocery shelves, which are stocked with popular products and household staples from brands like Coca-Cola, Barilla, Proctor & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, and Reckitt Benckiser.

"Chicagoans spend, on average, more than an hour commuting to and from work each day,” said Mike Brennan, COO, Peapod. “That's well over 200 hours a year in transit time alone, and our schedules are more demanding than ever. Peapod's virtual store program for commuter rail stations is a creative, convenient way for passengers to multi-task and knock out their grocery shopping on the go. PeapodMobile helps turn commuting time into productive time."

iPhone/iPad and Android users simply scan a QR code to download a free PeapodMobile app on the spot and start shopping by scanning the bar codes of the products featured in the ads. Commuters can get orders started on the platform, manage shopping lists and schedule deliveries – for next day or even several days or weeks in advance—during their train rides to or from the office.

For a limited time, mobile shoppers receive $20 off their first order, and 60 days of free delivery for subsequent orders by entering a promotional code.

Peapod's virtual store ads include products that typically fill weekly shopping baskets for busy households. Coffee, condiments and cleaning products can be scanned on train platforms, as well as can soup, snacks and cereal, milk and bread, health and beauty products, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Once on the PeapodMobile app, customers have access to more than 12,000 popular and store-brand products, from grocery basics to farm-fresh produce; restaurant-quality meats and seafood; prepared foods and party trays; deli meats and cheeses, sliced to order; Kosher, organic and specialty foods; office, school and pet supplies. A variety of beer, wine and beverages are also available.

First-time Peapod customers will need to register on www.peapod.com in order to complete their first PeapodMobile order on their smartphones.

Peapod first rolled out this virtual rail pilot in Philadelphia in February 2012 on 15 commuter rail platforms throughout the region during a 12-week campaign, diversifying their selections and boosting their mobile order size. In addition, 90 percent of those consumers who scan are returning to Peapod to shop and order again, the company said.

Ahold USA-owned Peapod is an online grocer serving 24 U.S. markets throughout Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin.