Shopping Discussion

Freshco/Sobey's not honouring free product coupon?

  • Last Updated:
  • Jul 10th, 2012 11:23 pm
Tags:
None
Sr. Member
User avatar
Nov 24, 2005
813 posts
135 upvotes

Freshco/Sobey's not honouring free product coupon?

Just got back from Freshco at Bathurst and Steeles, and tried to redeem a free product coupon for a tub of yogurt. The coupon was an original, glossy coupon sent to me directly from the manufacturer.

The cashier calls over the manager, and the manager takes a look a the coupon and informs me that the received a memo from Sobey's head office stating that the company is no longer accepting free product coupons. They will only honour it if I buy one of the same product first (essentially,turning it into a BOGO free coupon).

This makes no sense to me, and needless to say, I took my coupon back and told them I'd redeem it elsewhere.

Anyone else experience this recently. Btw, I bought a bunch of other groceries too...about $25 worth...I didn't just try to redeem a tub of yogurt.
9 replies
Deal Expert
Jun 30, 2006
21132 posts
9788 upvotes
Toronto
Go to Wal-Mart. Sobey's is going down.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 26, 2007
1226 posts
130 upvotes
Barrie/Toronto
Next time (if you go there again) - bring along the company coupon policy & tell the manager you will be contacting their head office.

I always have to bring the SDM policy as they are notorious for saying they don't accept coupons. I've actually given them the head office policy & asked "where on here exactly does it say you will not take this coupon?" & they always fold (as they should).

As of May 30 2012, Sobey's/Freshco policy:
Our coupon policy has recently been revised and Sobeys Ontario stores are now accepting both Vendor Pre-Printed Coupons and Internet/Printable Coupons.

All coupons must have the following:
- A valid expiry date
- A bar code
- A Canadian redemption address
- We accept one coupon per item purchased.

In addition, Internet/Printable coupons:
- Must be legible
- Say "Internet Coupon"
- Have a value of $25 or less
- We accept BOGO but not "Free Product" Internet/Printable Coupons.


It very clearly says that the free product coupons will only not be accepted if they are printed. Yours was not, the manager is a d-bag.
My Ebay items for sale: HERE! :)
Sr. Member
User avatar
Nov 24, 2005
813 posts
135 upvotes
Thanks catwalk. Comes to show their own employees don't understand their own policies.

I hate going there. Their price match policy is aweful....might as well just go down the street to RCSS where the produce is fresher. I only go there because they sell the milk my kids drink cheaper than everywhere else (and half the time it's not in stock).
Deal Guru
User avatar
Aug 20, 2005
11318 posts
3867 upvotes
Nowhere
Call the manufacturer and let them know that Sobeys is refusing to accept their coupons. I know they used to take these complaints seriously and usually they will send you more free products coupons. Time and effort go into planning promos and it is all for not, if stores refuse to take the coupon.

It is really sad when we have to carry store's policies around with us to instruct store management on the content of their policy.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 13, 2009
1528 posts
261 upvotes
East Coast!
Sobey's is going down! They are not competitive with other stores, food price are way out of wack.. don't know why people shop there.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jan 11, 2008
7816 posts
1290 upvotes
GTA
This week Freshco has a notice in their flyer that they have just started accepting internet coupons. As catwalk posted, they won't accept free product coupons from the internet.

As you stated, it looks like they don't understand their own policy. They probably just got a memo very recently about accepting internet coupons and didn't read it properly to understand the free product policy only applies to internet coupons.

(Off topic, but I when I read yogurt, I thought you were probably redeeming the Liberte coupon - I used that today, but at No Frills!)
Sr. Member
Aug 30, 2008
909 posts
184 upvotes
ON
I haven't experienced that, but at Wal-mart, I tried using a coupon for a Jergens cream, and was told I couldn't because that particular Jergens cream also gave you a free mini tube.

I never thought about calling the manufacturer though, I didn't think they'd care much.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Nov 24, 2005
813 posts
135 upvotes
sillysimms wrote:
(Off topic, but I when I read yogurt, I thought you were probably redeeming the Liberte coupon - I used that today, but at No Frills!)
That's exactly what I was trying to redeem! :D

Top