Consumers looking to save a buck or two are turning more to coupons as incentives, a recent survey found.
Some 89% of people surveyed said they use coupons when shopping, primarily for grocery, household and healthcare items at supermarkets, according to an Internet survey by the Promotion Marketing Association’s Coupon Council. And 97% of primary shoppers said they use coupons at supermarkets.
“The economy is waking folks up,” Matthew Tilley, co-chair of the PMA Coupon Council said. “It’s a great time to put out coupons as incentives. The hope is you will have won a loyal customer over time.”
The survey, which polled 1,000 people, was released this month to remind people that September is National Coupon Month. Each year, consumers save about $2.6 billion using manufacturers’ coupons when shopping for packaged goods. More than $350 billion of packaged goods coupons are offered a year.
The typical family saves between $5.20 and $9.20 a week using coupons, the PMA said. People who spend 10 minutes or less clipping and organizing coupons (about 46% of people polled) will save an average of $7 each week on groceries, the survey found.
As for coupon distribution, nearly 90% are available through Sunday newspaper freestanding inserts. But shoppers also find coupons in retailers’ ads, in the store, in magazines, in and on packages, by direct mail and through the Internet.
Information about coupon usage and coupon clipping tips is available at www.couponmonth.com.
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