Michigan-Based Supermarket/Food and Drug Retailer to Accept MasterCard PayPass “Tap & Go” Payments

Purchase, NY, January 08, 2007–MasterCard Worldwide and Spartan Stores announced today that all retail banners operated by Spartan Stores in Michigan and northwest Ohio under the Family Fare, D&W, Glen’s, Pharm and Quick Stop banners will accept MasterCard® PayPass™, an innovative, contactless, and rapid payment option. Spartan Stores is a leading regional grocery retail and wholesale operator with more than 87 retail stores located in Michigan and northwest Ohio.

The acceptance of MasterCard PayPass in participating Spartan Stores has begun and will be added to additional Spartan retail store locations. “Accepting MasterCard PayPass at our retail stores will provide customers with a more rapid payment option that builds on our strategy to make the consumer shopping experience quicker and more convenient,” said Ted Adornato, Executive Vice President Retail Operations for Spartan Stores. “Whether customers come to pick up groceries or prescriptions, we are committed to make Spartan’s retail stores an easy place to shop and PayPass acceptance does exactly that.”

With MasterCard PayPass, consumers no longer need to fumble for cash and coins or swipe a card for purchases. Users simply tap their PayPass-enabled card or device on the PayPass reader, which significantly speeds the retail checkout process. With the PayPass option, customers do not have to sign receipts for purchases under $25, which further speeds the payment process. In addition to this new payment option, Spartan Stores will continue to accept traditional magnetic-stripe payment cards.

“MasterCard, like Spartan Stores, understands the significance of streamlining the customer purchasing process. We are proud to be partnering with a company like Spartan Stores that recognizes the benefits of using innovative technology to improve the consumers’ shopping experience,” said T.J. Sharkey, Group Head, National Accounts, U.S. Commerce Development, MasterCard Worldwide. “PayPass is helping to transform retail industries by providing a way for merchants to differentiate themselves at the point of sale.”

About MasterCard PayPass

MasterCard PayPass is ideal for traditional cash-heavy environments where speed is essential, and has led the way in bringing contactless technology to consumer categories such as quick serve restaurants, drug stores, gas stations, vending machines, convenience stores, sports arenas, movie theaters, transit systems and parking garages. There are currently nearly 11 million PayPass cards and devices in the market, and PayPass is currently accepted globally at 36,000 merchant locations, including participating 7-Eleven, CVS, McDonald’s, Regal Entertainment Group theaters and many others. PayPass is also accepted at numerous football and baseball stadiums. For more information about MasterCard PayPass and a full list of participating merchants, visit http://www.mastercard.com/PayPass.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 14 billion payments each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard Worldwide serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to http://www.mastercardworldwide.com.

About Spartan Stores

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Spartan Stores, Inc., SPTN is the nation’s tenth largest grocery distributor with warehouse facilities in Grand Rapids and Plymouth, Michigan. The Company distributes more than 40,000 private-label and national brand products to more than 350 independent grocery stores in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Spartan Stores also owns and operates 68 retail supermarkets and 19 deep-discount food and drug stores in Michigan and Ohio, including D&W Fresh Markets, Family Fare Supermarkets, Glen’s Markets, and The Pharm.