It’s not your imagination. There are less consumer packaged goods coupons, shorter expiration dates, and at times, less face value on coupons distributed today. In addition, blinkies are rare and so are tearpads, and stores seem to be changing policies. All when consumer demand for coupons is at its highest.
Last week a friend of mine said that the new coupon inserts had few coupons and they were all expiring in about four weeks. A few, we found, had a six week expiration date. What we really noticed was the lack of coupons in the inserts, as well as a sneaky trend of making consumers access a QR code (quick response codes) with a smart phone to go on a coupon manhunt that’s anything but a quick response.
According to an article today in Supermarket News, a study by NCH Marketing Services (leading coupon processing and redemption company) indicates we are not crazy. The article says the grocery segment distributed 13.1% fewer coupons in 2011 than it did in 2010, however health and beauty care coupon distribution held steady. Despite the drop in overall coupons distribution, the article says that customer redemption has increased. The article did not say why there was an increase in redemption, but we think, at least in anecdotal terms, that higher prices, smaller packaging, the Extreme Couponing craze, and oh, yes, the economy, has something to do with the increasing interest in couponing.
Hopefully coupon distribution will rise again mid-2012, but as of now, we seem to be seeing fewer and fewer coupons in inserts since January.
~Marilyn, TFF
Two Frugal Fairfielders 
I have also noticed with a shorter expiration date there is more of a likelihood a coupon will expire before the normal three month sale comes around
Sorry to be all gloom and doom I spent a few hours the other day calling Co’s to get coupons For the most part they said they are no longer mailing coupon The ones that I did get were very low value and a much shorter expiration date than in the past
On the up side My catalinas from Stop and Shop have been pretty good lately Many of them have been store catalinas for no specific brands,so combined with mfg’s have gotton several items totally free
Hi Wendy, Yes, things are getting trickier when it comes to couponing, that’s for sure. On the upside, I just heard from a ShopRite employee that they are cracking down on people who cut off the expiration dates on coupons which is great. The computer now “knows” if a coupon is expired or not. At least that unsavory population of couponers who try to get away with that will be put out of business! ~Marilyn