The age of the paper coupon is officially over. In 2025, the best deals are no longer found in the Sunday paper; they are hidden inside a supermarket’s digital loyalty app. These apps have become a powerful tool for savvy shoppers. They offer personalized discounts, exclusive promotions, and digital-only prices that are far superior to the generic manufacturer coupons of the past. For these seven supermarket chains, the loyalty app is the only way to get the absolute best deals.
1. Kroger
The Kroger family of stores has one of the most sophisticated and rewarding digital loyalty programs in the country. The app is filled with hundreds of digital coupons that you can “clip” directly to your account. More importantly, it sends you personalized “Best Customer” coupons every week. These are high-value offers that are based on your specific shopping history, and they are a deal that you will not find anywhere else.
2. Safeway and Albertsons
The “for U” loyalty program at Safeway and other Albertsons-owned chains is another powerful, app-based system. The program’s biggest strength is its personalized deals. The app will offer you a lower price on the items you buy most frequently. This is a level of personalization that a paper coupon could never match. The app is also the only way to access the store’s “free item” Friday promotion.
3. Target
Target has completely integrated its savings program into its “Target Circle” app. While the store still accepts paper coupons, the best deals are always found in the app. The app offers a huge variety of percentage-off discounts on entire product categories, like “20% off all produce.” It also has a huge number of digital manufacturer coupons that you can stack with the store’s own offers for a massive discount.
4. Publix
The Florida-based chain Publix has also moved all of its couponing to its “Club Publix” digital program. The company no longer accepts competitor coupons or doubles paper coupons. The only way to get a coupon at Publix is to clip it in the app. The app is also a great tool for previewing the store’s famous “Buy One, Get One Free” sales for the week, which is the cornerstone of the store’s savings program.
5. Harris Teeter
The Harris Teeter “e-VIC” program is a hyper-personalized system. The app tracks your purchases and then automatically loads “your price” discounts onto your loyalty card. This means that every single shopper is getting a different, personalized price on their favorite items. This is a level of targeted marketing that is far beyond what a paper coupon could ever offer.
6. Giant Food
The East Coast chain Giant Food has a robust “Flexible Rewards” program that is centered on its app. The app allows you to earn points on your purchases. You can then redeem these points for a variety of rewards, including a discount on your gas or a cash discount on your total grocery bill. The app is also home to a large number of exclusive, digital-only coupons.
7. Food Lion
The discount grocery chain Food Lion has also invested heavily in its “Shop & Earn” MVP Rewards program. The app allows you to activate personalized offers that are based on your past purchases. It also has a “shop and earn” feature. You can earn a cash reward for buying a certain amount of a specific product category over the course of a month. These are all deals that are only available through the app.
The Digital Deal
The message from these major supermarket chains is clear: the future of savings is digital. Their loyalty apps are no longer just a convenience; they are an absolute necessity for any shopper who wants to get the best possible price. While it requires a bit of extra effort to clip the deals on your phone before you shop, the rewards are significant. The app is the new and undisputed king of the grocery deal.
Which grocery store do you think has the best loyalty app? Do you prefer the new digital apps, or do you miss the old paper coupons? Let us know!
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