With rising inflation on grocery bills, one way to save money is to use discount coupons. Do these vouchers provide real savings or is it more of a business strategy? Our journalists have looked at the “couponing” practice that has some followers in the country.
In 1895 the Post Company offered the very first coupon offering a one cent discount on one of its cereal boxes.
On December 18, 1979 on the show more buyersjournalist Yves Blouin is interested in using consumer discount coupons.
In her presentation, host Louise Arcand reminded us that discount coupons replaced gift stamps in Quebec, giving the right to surprises and gifts.
In 1979, the use of coupons increased in the country. That year, Jean-Claude Babin, director of operations for Hypermarket stores, estimated that 15 to 18% of customers use coupons each week.
For Pierre Legendre, marketing consultant at COGEM, the coupon is a marketing tool in much the same way as advertising. The strategy is often used to persuade consumers to try a new product that has just landed on the market.
For Rhonda Maxwell, founder of a discount coupon exchange group, you need to know how to avoid these marketing pitfalls.
In the report, the mother provides some tips to make using discount coupons worthwhile.
” To really save, plan your meals and use a shopping list. It is also necessary to indicate in the list the articles for which we have coupons. One important thing, never buy a product just because you have coupons. “
The importance of being part of such a group is of course to get the coupons we need for the products we normally buy.
The concept of coupon exchange groups is more popular with our neighbors in the south and in English Canada than in Quebec.
On September 6, 1993, in issue At all costsjournalist Michèle Boisvert is interested in discount coupon exchange groups.
Richard Chartrand was a postman and skilled in “couponnage”. The man explained that he saves about 13% on his grocery bill by using discount coupons.
His group meets once a month to exchange coupons and discount information.
” I have a grandson and my daughter always use baby diapers. So I, when I come, I always get coupons for diapers. Automatically, every month, he has discounts. “
On February 5, 2004, the broadcast The grocery store presents a report on the advantages and disadvantages of discount coupons on flyers and in grocery stores.
In 2002, in Canada, 2.3 billion discount coupons were printed.
Some banners are changing their approach and no longer include coupons in their flyers and prefer to only display items at a discount.
But for Luc Dupont, a marketing professor at the University of Ottawa, when you engage people by asking them to cut a small coupon, instead of just giving them a gift without much effort, the Opportunities for people to use the product are more important.
An estimated seven in ten Canadians are more likely to use coupons when the economy is bad.
” The success of coupons is easy to explain, consumers benefit from them and so do manufacturers. “
Source: Radio-Canada
