After much deliberation and speculation by customers, Publix has revealed their new coupon policy.
While much of the policy will be consistent regardless of the location of the store, there is one part that will be left up to each individual store to decide. When it comes to the competitors coupons that will be accepted, each store is given the discretion to determine which stores in the area are competition. When the changes were first being deliberated, some stores were stating they would only take coupons from a competitor that had a meat, deli and bakery department. This left many that regularly used coupons from stores such as Walgreens upset. With the decision left up to the individual store, this could still be an issue for some couponers.
Most coupon bloggers do not seem to feel the new policy will greatly affect the ability to get good deals. The Swaggrabber blog indicates that aside from determining which stores are competition, the policy has not changed much and seems ‘pretty fair’.
The new policy has not been placed online yet but is being handed out in stores.
According to the new policy Publix will:
- accept one manufacturer coupon per item
- accept original Publix coupons
- accept valid internet coupons
- accept competitors coupons with the nearby competitors to be determined by the store
- accept competitor pharmacy coupons for prescriptions
- will not accept percent off coupons
- accept coupons for identical merchandise they sell
- acknowledge restrictions on coupons
- reserve the right to limit quantities
- require a manager’s approval if the coupon is over $5 in value
- recognize each item separately in a buy one get one sale so that two coupons may be used
- allow the use of one manufacturer coupon combined with one store or competitor coupon for each item
- accept only one type of dollar off total coupons
- determine total must be equal to or greater than the total purchase requirements indicated on the coupon
