• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, August 23, 2011

TRA has expanded its database of consumer purchase behavior via a new arrangement involving grocery chain Kroger. TRA's agreement is with dunnhumbyUSA, a joint venture between Kroger and London-based market research firm dunnhumby, which launched in 2003.

TRA depends on data from frequent shopper cards at retailers like Kroger to propel its core system. It matches anonymous TV viewing data with purchase behavior, looking to establish a single-source currency. The frequent-shopper-card data helps in the consumer packaged-goods category. The company also is working in the auto and pharmaceutical categories, using different information sets.

In addition to Kroger, dunnhumby has relationships with advertisers, such as Macy's and Ruby Tuesday, where their purchase data could be employed by TRA in different categories.

TRA, which competes with Nielsen Catalina, said dunnhumby also will lend expertise in certain analytics.

In the U.K., dunnhumby's business moved into a different realm four years ago when it became the operator of an in-store media network for supermarket chain Tesco, using its data to bolster targeting.

In the U.S., dunnhumby is run by CEO Stuart Aiken, the former CMO at Michael's Stores. The company is based in Cincinnati along with Kroger.

The name is a fusion of husband-and-wife founders Edwina Dunn and Clive Humby.