# Grocery store coupons

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-coupons/235773>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 22, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-coupons/235773 "2004-03-22T21:21:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brix11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@brix11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brix11)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-coupons/235773/1 "2004-03-22T21:21:53Z")

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You know those coupons that grocery stores print out along with your receipt? The ones I’ve received almost always have a red stripe at the top and bottom and are for products that I’ve purchased at that time or have at some time in the past (if I have a discount card account).

Although they have the store name somewhere on them, they often also say “manufacturer’s coupon”. Because of this phrase, I assumed that I could use them at any store. Having unsuccessfully tried this on several occasions, that is apparently not the case.

So, why do these coupons have this phrase? Should I be able to use them wherever I want?

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**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-coupons/235773/2 "2004-03-22T21:47:55Z")

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Just a comment: the ones I get from Safeway have a red stripe at the top and bottom, and the ones I get from Giant have blue stripes. I guess that’s so they can easily tell their own coupons apart. I don’t get them from Metro/Shopper’s Food Warehouse.

I think the reason for using them only at the store you got it from (from where you got it?) is because it was printed out in reponse to what you purchased. They want them redeemed back where it was printed out.

Sometimes I get coupons for Welch’s juice if I buy Juicy Juice or for Purina cat food when I buy Iam’s cat food; or like you said, it’s for brands of things I’m buying at that time, but for future purchases of the same product.

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**Author:** ![StinkPop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@StinkPop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkPop)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-store-coupons/235773/3 "2004-03-22T22:07:53Z")

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The phrase “manufacturer’s coupon” means that the manufacturer of the product is paying for the discount. If it said “store coupon”, the store itself would be paying for the discount. In either case, checkout coupons are generally redeemable only at the store (or another location of the same chain) which issues them.