Another Kroger Division Does Away With Double Coupons

It’s been a while since the last time a Kroger division eliminated double coupons. But if you thought your region was safe, think again.

The Columbus, Ohio Division of the country’s largest supermarket chain has now jumped aboard the non-doubling bandwagon. Beginning May 1st, the division’s 123 stores will no longer double the value of manufacturer’s coupons.

In place of double coupons, as in the many other Kroger divisions that have done away with doubles, Kroger is promising new lower prices throughout the store. “The Kroger team carefully selected items that are frequently found in most customers’ shopping carts to ensure all customers would benefit from the price reductions over time,” Kroger announced this morning. Some price cuts on items including produce and organic foods have already begun, with thousands of lower prices set to be in place by April 2.

And the rationale for discontinuing doubles is the same as it’s been in other divisions – doubles, Kroger argues, are simply outdated. “Double coupons originated decades ago, in an era when none of the current online and electronic coupon options were available to customers and smartphones did not exist,” said Kroger spokesperson Jackie Siekmann. “Kroger will continue to evolve to meet the expectations of 21st century shoppers.”

In the Columbus Division, Kroger says, less than 2% of all customers are considered “heavy coupon users,” and 86% of customers don’t take advantage of double coupons at all. Kroger estimates that its investment in lower prices “will total at least three times the value currently received by a very small number of customers by doubling coupons.”

After a number of Kroger divisions did away with double coupons last year, the company this year shifted its marketing efforts toward changing many divisions’ weekly circular start dates, to Wednesdays. So it appeared that those divisions that still offered doubles might be spared. Today’s announcement dispels that notion.

Kroger insists that such a change is for each division to decide, and not an edict from the home office. But it might as well be. Once double coupons fade away in Columbus, only Kroger stores in the Michigan Division and Mid-South/Nashville Division will still regularly double coupons, along with Kroger-owned King Soopers, Fry’s and Harris Teeter.

For now, that is.