Coupons are not dead yet
The coupon’s not dead yet
https://www.morningbrew.com/stories/2025/11/28/the-coupons-not-dead-yet
Digital deals reign, but Kroger also reported a “lift” in the number of products sold after reintroducing paper coupons.
By Molly Liebergall
November 28, 2025
An American-born shopping strategy may be in the midst of a mini comeback. The days of couponing so hard that you get on a TLC show are over, but post-pandemic grocery inflation has ushered in a new wave of deal fiends.
Although coupon use plummeted to an all-time low in 2022:
- Redemptions ticked up in 2023 and 2024, mostly driven by digital offers rather than traditional newspaper inserts, according to Inmar Intelligence.
- More than 25% of US adults are using more coupons because of the state of the economy, up from 18% in mid-2021, according to a 2024 survey by the National Retail Federation.
Rebound
In September, Kroger reported a “lift” in the number of products sold after the grocery chain reintroduced paper coupons. Bargain shoppers also logged a win in August, when Bed Bath & Beyond Home opened its first store under its new banner and brought back its legendary 20% coupon. This time around, though, it can’t be used with other offers.
The deals aren’t what they used to be
Gone is the era of combining enough coupons to save 75% at checkout (or even be owed money by the store):
- Walmart, ShopRite, and Target don’t let shoppers use more than four of the same paper coupon in one day anymore.
- Many retailers have also stopped giving cash back on coupons of a higher value than the purchase price.
- To limit fraud risks, some stores don’t allow printouts from Coupons.com—or any coupons that aren’t on their master list, even if they’re legitimate.
Where the Extreme Couponers are now
Many stars of the 2011–2012 TLC show moved on from coupon-clipping to maxing out their 401(k) and IRA contributions and racking up hotel loyalty points for cheaper travel. They told the Wall Street Journal that this offers higher returns for a drastically lower time commitment. Probably fewer paper cuts, too.