Major change for shoppers as Kroger trials new twist on digital deals in stores – and it’s a win for coupon queens

KROGER has announced a new plan to make deals more accessible, and coupon queens should celebrate.

The grocery retailer is now offering online deals in the form of printed coupons to in-store guests who otherwise may have missed out on the savings.

Kroger teamed up with consumer-packaged-goods marketing company Catalina to bring the offers into the physical aisles.

Dubbed Catalina Reach Extender, the project will bring printers to checkout lanes so people can print out coupon codes instead of showing the digital-only deal.

"We look forward to using this breakthrough technology to bring meaningful savings to even more customers," said Cara Pratt, senior vice president of Kroger's Precision Marketing in a statement.

"The ultimate aim of using Catalina Reach Extender is to engage 100 percent of our shoppers with the best possible access to value."

The store currently offers personalized deals through The Kroger Co.'s 84.51° data and analytics arm which offers shoppers deals on its website and mobile app.

However, this new project will make sure that "loyal in-store shoppers receive offers in a way that is relevant to them while they're shopping," according to Catalina executives.

Catalina plans to analyze shopping trends so the store can provide deals that shoppers will actually use.

"With inflation continuing to concern shoppers across the country, offering shoppers greater value on their favorite brands and products in a relevant way is not only appreciated, but also it engenders even greater loyalty," said Catalina's US Chief Retail Officer Wesley Bean.

"We look forward to using this breakthrough technology to bring meaningful savings to even more customers," said Pratt.

With over 2,700 stores across the US, Kroger is making some big changes to provide the best possible service to its growing audience.

The grocery retailer is expanding grocery delivery to a whopping 36 states without opening any new stores.

Kroger is offering grocery delivery services to more and more shoppers with high-tech fulfillment centers in states like Oklahoma and Florida.

Instead of driving to a brick-and-mortar location, these Customer Fulfilment Centers deliver groceries to customers with the help of artificial intelligence.

"The fulfillment centers will essentially put together an order in less than four minutes," said Kroger's director of economic development Rita Williams.

"And the baskets delivered on a refrigerated delivery trucks.

"You can get your ice cream along with your Cheerios. I've been doing it for two years and I don't know how I did it before home delivery."

The centers are a range of sizes, from large to micro fulfillment centers, according to The Ocado Group.

The CFCs "cater to the wide range of shopping missions across next day, same day, and immediacy that Kroger customers are seeking online," it stated.

Kroger now has high-tech fulfillment centers in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Oklahoma.

There are also plans for more fulfillment centers that could be built in Colorado, California, Maryland, Arizona, Cleveland, North Carolina, and the Northeast.

In the last week, Kroger employees have come forward alleging the grocer’s new payroll system is docking cash from their paychecks.

Plus, see if your town is on the list of locations where Kroger is unveiling a new mix-and-match food hall experience for shoppers.