Since I am new to commissary shopping, I decided to dig up some answers to some questions that I have been having. Hopefully they will help you out as well.
Do commissaries accept coupons?
Yes. Commissaries accept most types of coupons as part of purchase transactions in accordance with the terms and conditions stated on a coupon.
Commissaries CANNOT accept “in-house” coupons issued by commercial grocery stores or supermarkets.
Patrons who wish to use coupons as part of a purchase transaction must buy the item(s) indicated on a coupon, and-except in foreign overseas areas-must use a coupon prior to or on the expiration date stated on a coupon.
Commissaries located in foreign overseas areas accept coupons up to six months after the expiration date stated on a coupon.
Do commissaries ever have “double coupon” or “triple coupon” promotions like those offered by commercial stores?
No. The “double” or “triple” coupon promotions offered by commercial stores involve doubling, tripling (or otherwise increasing) the face value of a coupon. Commercial stores who offer these types of promotions get paid by the coupon issuer only for the face value of a coupon, and have to absorb the costs of “doubling” or “tripling” coupon face value in their pricing and profit structure.
Because commissaries are required by law to sell goods at prices set only high enough to cover the cost of those goods, commissaries make no profit from which to pay the costs associated with “double” coupon promotions.
Additionally, DeCA cannot use funds provided for the operation of commissaries to support such promotions, because law strictly prescribes the uses of these funds, and “promotional support” is not among the allowable uses of these funds.
Commissaries do occasionally offer a different type of “double coupon” promotion than described above. For these promotions, manufacturers or other coupon issuers agree that commissaries may accept more than one coupon on the purchase of an item, and usually supply large numbers of coupons to patrons in the commissary in support of such promotions. These “double coupon” promotions involve doubling the number of coupons accepted on the purchase of an item, but DO NOT involve doubling (or otherwise increasing) the face value of a coupon.
May I use coupons in combination on the purchase of an item in a commissary?
“No, customers may use only one coupon per item in DeCA commissaries. Even coupons without “exclusionary language,” such as “NOT TO BE USED WITH ANY OTHER COUPON, ” “NOT TO BE USED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER,” “ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE,” etc. , may not be used in combination on the purchase of an item. This policy is in line with the policies of other DoD resale activities and our commercial counterparts.”
Can I use coupons generated from the Internet in a commissary?
Yes, commissaries gladly accept Internet or home-printed coupons provided they meet the following requirements – the coupons must have a typical barcode and Product Identification Number (PIN) or GS1 DataBar. A Dot Scan Barcode may appear below the expiration date, but is only required if stated on the coupon, e.g., “Do not accept without a Dot Scan Barcode below the expiration date.” Internet coupons cannot be accepted for free products, however, “Buy One Get One Free” coupons are acceptable if they meet all other requirements.
Procter and Gamble (P & G) does not authorize Internet coupons for any of their products.
Do I have to use bagging/carryout services and tip a bagger for providing these services?
Baggers work for tips only, however, you may choose not to use bagger/carryout services at all.
(Good to know! When I went last week they acted as if you had to use a bagger and I would rather bag my own groceries and take them out to my car and save a couple of bucks!)
Why does DeCA make me pay surcharge on my commissary purchases?
Surcharge is applied to the total value of each commissary purchase because the Congress has mandated collection of surcharge (currently 5 percent) to pay for commissary construction, equipment and maintenance.
All surcharge dollars collected are returned to commissary patrons in the form of continually improved commissary facilities. The amount of surcharge applied to a commissary sale transaction is shown as “SCG” on your sales receipt.
9 Comments
Sorry I misunderstood also. I actually did use three printables there. Also here is the link for the deca policy.
https://www.commissaries.com/documents/contact_deca/faqs/coupon_use.cfm
Hope it works.
I'n not military so have never shopped the CS. I have seen elsewhere though, that DECA policy is for full face value on the coupon. Example: item is .97 cents, coupon is $1. They must give you the full $1, they cannot lower the amount. So you folks can get overage and use it to your advantage. I know that there is a printable copy of DECA's policy somewhere, but I don't know where. Might be worthwhile to locate that and have it on hand if they give you any hassles about it.
Sorry, I guess I wasn't very clear about the PX coupon policy. They will accept coupons, just not ones printed off the internet.
That is weird that your PX does not except coupons. Our PX gladly excepts them. I also got the big NO on the expired coupons. I thought we were an overseas base so it was ok. Come to find out because they have a PO box we are not considered overseas. That is what they told me anyway.
I was just in the commissary the other day and asked the cashier about coupons and she specifically told me they did NOT accept expired coupons.
Hey, I have heard that the commissary will accept expired coupons. Any truth to that?
And if so, is there a way we can collect and share with folks here locally?
I have been shopping in commissaries for about 40 years. The first time I went to the commissary was with a friend of my mother who happened to be married to a Colonel. At that time she said the going rate for tipping was 10 cents. Obviously, I don't use that formula anymore. I usually tip 50 cents per bag with a little more added to make it an even number of $$$. The tip combined with the surcharge often proves to increase the cost of our grocery shopping trip over what we would have spent at Fred's or even Costco. There are things I like to get at the commissary and I get a large quantity when I do. I also like to go to their case lot sales but watch prices very carefully. It used to be that milk was a good price at the commissary but the last time we were there it was $1 more per gallon. Needless to say I didn't buy any.
I shop a the commissary all the time, and I've asked different people what they usually pay a bagger. I have been told from 50 cents to $1 per bag – that it depends on what kind of weather they are dealing with, etc! I really have no idea. What do you guys tip your baggers?
FYI I recently discovered that although the commissary will accept internet generated coupons, the PX will not.