How many coupons were produced in 2012?

Over the last five years, one word has played a significant part in consumer behavior. That word is “recession.” Because of the economic recession in 2008, consumers have based the majority of purchases off of a “need” rather than a “want”. To cope with the changing buyer intention, coupon manufacturers continue strategic sampling to see what shoppers really want.

According to the Center for Media Research, NCH Marketing Services reported that 305 billion coupons were produced by CPG marketers for 2012. This production count is the same as 2011; however, the kind of coupons produced were not the same.

In 2012, there were 4.4% more non-food category coupons than 2011. Some products include medications, personal care and other household items. There was about 6.5% fewer food related coupons in 2012. A reason for the shift could be coupons offer marketers a way to introduce new products and allow consumers to try it out at a lower cost.

It was reported that CPG products had about 2.9 billion coupons redeemed in 2012. This was down 17%; however, 79.8% of consumers reportedly use coupons. What does this mean for advertisers? Shoppers are still interested in coupons, but it’s up to marketers to experiment to see what kind of coupons are going to resonate with its audience and be redeemed.