Coupons have evolved. That’s exactly why customers love them more than ever.

In the U.S., 92% of shoppers still use coupons, and digital adoption is rising across Europe, with the UK, Germany, and France leading the way. But today’s consumers aren’t clipping newspapers, nor are they just tapping through apps. They expect seamless, omnichannel coupon experiences that match the ease of their overall shopping experience.
Consumers expect offers to find them. Whether it’s a push alert triggered as they walk into a store or a surprise discount hidden in a TikTok challenge, today’s coupon is part offer, part experience, and a fully strategic touchpoint in the shopper journey. With the right digital coupon management software, these touchpoints become highly personalized, sparking brand connection, capturing zero- and first-party data, and driving incremental sales.
This matters more than ever now, with grocery prices still up to 20% higher than just four years ago and 45% of shoppers willing to switch retailers for the right coupon. For brands, coupons aren’t just discount tactics anymore. They’re powerful differentiators – especially in the age of private labels – and a vital layer in the CX stack: shaping journeys, triggering behaviors, and capturing intent in real time.
Here are 11 of the most effective coupon marketing ideas used by leading U.S. and European brands today, each balancing brand ROI and consumer delight. Combine two or three for even bigger impact!

1. Scannable Coupons Redeemable Anywhere

For brands: One secure code works at thousands of retailers, with full attribution tracking For consumers: No more coupon anxiety. Redeem anywhere, effortlessly
Traditionally, coupons (especially paper ones) were tied to specific stores or required particular retailers to accept them. But a big innovation in recent years is the rise of scannable digital coupons that work across most major retailers. These are like all-access passes to savings: no friction, no fine print, no fear. They also offer brands the holy grail of promo marketing – precision and scale.

Nestlé San Pellegrino (UK): Nestlé partnered with Snipp to launch a £3-off coupon campaign for San Pellegrino, delivered via a single digital barcode. Shoppers could simply scan the barcode at checkout (redeemable at over 70K+ retailers nationwide) to claim the offer.

LEGO F1 Series Promotion (U.S.): LEGO delivered scannable barcodes for its F1 series sets via Snipp’s platform, enhancing the customer experience and tracking capabilities. To redeem the offer, consumers registered on the program website and, once verified, received a digital barcode scannable across major retailers.  

2. Gamified Promotions & In-Store Games

For brands: Increases dwell time, social shares, and drives trial For consumers: Turns discounts into a fun experience and makes saving feel like winning

Gamified coupons are like the arcade tokens of e-commerce, turning basic transactions into dopamine-spiking experiences. But they’re not just fluff. Gamification boosts time spent with a brand, deepens brand memory, and makes coupons more than price cuts. Whether it’s a spin wheel, a scratch card, or a treasure hunt, gamified experiences invite consumers to engage. You can also build out continuity-based gamified programs, where each step or purchase unlocks the next round of rewards. It’s a great way to drive predictable growth over time while collecting more personalized data with every interaction.

McCain’s “Jumbo Coupon” launch (Canada): To hype its new Jumbo Crinkle Fries, McCain turned giant billboards, truck sides, and even plane banners into jumbo coupons with a playful instant-win promo. Embedded QR codes led to a landing page where shoppers traded an email address for a £2.50 off coupon.

Schnucks x Instacart Caper Carts (U.S.): Smart “Caper Carts” at Schnucks light up with gamified quests that reward shoppers in real time. Customers can complete a flash-deal treasure hunt, earn savings through repeat visits, or unlock rewards by clipping a bundle of personalized coupons. Caper Carts are entering European supermarkets too, with Aldi Süd trialing them in Austria.

McDonald’s Monopoly (UK): Customers collect game pieces over multiple visits, and completing a set unlocks everything from coupons to free products to cash. You’ve got to keep buying to stay in the game. The app version makes it even stickier, tracking redemptions and creating personalized offers while collecting a goldmine of behavioral data.

3. AI-Personalized Coupons

For brands: Drives higher conversion, category growth, and richer first- and zero-party data For consumers: Discounts land on exactly what each shopper actually wants

The right offer at the right time can make the difference between a browse and a buy. AI learns from past purchases, real-time browsing, even basket size, to put together the coupon you were hoping for – before you even asked. It can unlock true individualization, down to a single profile, single SKU, or single store. Think of it as your favorite store manager handing you a coupon for your favorite cereal the moment you walk in, just scaled nationally.

Ulta Beauty’s AI brain (U.S.): Ulta pipes real-time SKU, store, and loyalty data from among its over 44 million members into an AI engine that builds a live “beauty profile” for every shopper. The system pushes personalized promotions across app, email, in-store screens, and socials the moment you browse, add to cart, or check out.

Sainsbury’s “Your Nectar Prices” (UK): Using machine-learning models fueled by digital data from 18 million Nectar members, Sainsbury’s invested £70 million in pricing algorithms that surface personalized discounts in-app or via SmartShop scanners. Those lower prices apply automatically, and are personalized to each customer based on their prior shopping habits.

Lidl Plus For You (Europe): Lidl’s loyalty program uses purchase behavior and app engagement to serve up Lidl Plus for You Coupons, hyper-personalized discounts on the products each shopper buys most. Users activate these coupons in the app, then redeem them at checkout by scanning their phone. Behind the scenes, Lidl collects data on which offers are used and what’s in the basket, allowing it to keep refining its recommendations.

Turn any media channel into a sales driver with our scalable and secure digital coupon management software.

4. Mobile Wallet Coupons + Location-Pings

For brands: Always-on channel for instant updates, low fraud risk, and clear analytics For consumers: Delivers offers exactly when (and where) they’re shopping and makes the redemption process as smooth and seamless as possible.

Coupons that live in Apple Wallet or Google Pay are always ready, always relevant, and impossible to lose. These mobile wallets turn smartphones into the new coupon binder, with organized, immediate, and location-aware offers. Push notifications or SMS reminders ensure those coupons actually get used. Add a location-trigger and you’ll deliver a deal at the moment of highest intent, near a store.

ShopRite (U.S.): ShopRite's digital coupons can be added to mobile wallets, for seamless redemption at checkout. Other U.S. chains like Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar update their apps constantly with weekly and daily coupons to keep value-minded customers coming back.

Carrefour (France): Carrefour ditched its underused traditional loyalty cards in favor of mobile wallet passes across stores in France. These passes deliver real-time content updates and geo-triggered push notifications, boosting average spend by 24%.

5. Cross-Brand Coupon Partnerships

For brands: Multiplies reach and basket size through shared audiences and campaign costs, while strengthening brand equityFor consumers: Unlocks bundled value: more savings, more discovery.

Two brands are better than one – especially when they team up to create a compelling coupon offer. Co-branded coupon promotions encourage shoppers to buy complementary products in one go. For example, a snack brand could offer a coupon redeemable only at a grocery chain that’s actively promoting them. The mutual benefit and shared marketing push can make a coupon campaign far more impactful than a solo effort.

Kellogg’s “Mission Tiger” (U.S.): Shoppers who purchased one Kellogg’s cereal plus one partner brand product could upload the receipt to a special site and receive two $5 coupons – one for a Kellogg’s product and one for the partner brand of their choice. On top of that, each qualifying purchase triggered a $10 donation to charity.

6. First-Party Data Rewards

For brands: Trades a discount for opt-ins, surveys, or product feedback For consumers: Feels fair: share an email, score an instant deal

Modern coupon campaigns aren’t just about short-term sales. They’re also about building direct customer relationships. By dangling a high value discount, you encourage consumers to interact with your brand directly. Recommending a product, sharing a post, or engaging online can be just as valuable as a purchase — especially for FMCG brands focused on long-term growth. Coupons can act as micro-incentives for collecting zero-party data, encouraging signups, survey responses, or feedback in exchange for instant savings.

Hellmann’s “Ketchup Currency” (U.S.): Hellmann’s campaign invited consumers to scan and upload their spare ketchup packets on a branded microsite to redeem for mayo. The site used machine learning to count the packets and generate personalized coupons for Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. Bonus: if the system detected a rare or “secret” ketchup packet, users won free mayo for a year.

Download the App & Get $100 Coupon

The Latest from our blogs

How to Win Cybersecurity Budget Approval with Continuous Validation

12 Coupon Marketing Ideas to Drive Trial, Lift and Loyalty

Join the Savings Revolution