San Diego said digital coupons alone were not fair. This is what they are doing

San Diego is becoming the first city in the United States to ban grocery stores from offering digital coupons only, citing some shoppers with no access to the internet and smartphones.

The ban is intended to force grocery stores to provide paper coupons to everyone, including older shoppers who are not as tech-savvy as younger shoppers. But grocer trading groups are delaying new laws.

While grocery stores still distribute coupons through inserts in mailboxes or newspapers, these transactions have evolved to meet consumers on smartphones through mobile apps and email inboxes.

In 2022, 91% of Americans in the U.S. used at least one coupon and over 178 million adults redeem digital coupons (including downloadable coupons, mobile coupons, coupon codes and automatic discounts).

From 2015 to 2022, the number of digital coupon users has steadily increased by as many as 10 million adults.

Some of these transactions, especially for grocery store customers, often require desktop or application users to create online accounts or link their existing membership numbers to their online profile.

That's what San Diego City Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera said residents who lack internet or smartphone access, they are English learners or residents who are tired of sharing their personal information online.

Who missed a digital transaction only

Within the Elo-Rivera jurisdiction of Elo-Rivera's District 9, he said three outstanding groups missed the money-saving coupons due to online transactions only.

The first one is composed of elderly people aged 65 and above and lives on a fixed income. This is a population of 14% of the city, including many people who may be technically unwise. He told The Times that his ban was supported by older people served by nonprofits, whose members and volunteers had problems getting online deals.

The second group consists of people born outside the United States whose first language is not English. Staff at the Employee Rights Center told Elo-Rivera that members of the immigration and refugee community “do not necessarily have the language skills to navigate the complex.” [online] Access the required system [online deal or coupon] Price,” he said.

Finally, Elo-Rivera points to San Diego residents with a lack of internet access, with about 53,000 households.

He also noted that the 2022 AARP report said 25% of seniors nationwide lacked internet connectivity and 39% did not have a cell phone, so digital coupons could not reach the range of seniors in the United States. AARP California has publicly supported the ordinance of the Council members.

This statistic, which emerged from the Pew Research Center, has been updated: 30% of older people lack internet connectivity, while 24% do not have smartphones.

How the City of San Diego wants to bridge the digital divide

To address the digital barrier, Elo-Rivera has co-authored the digital coupon ban with the aim of providing discounts to everyone, including those who cannot navigate or access online transactions.

Nielsen IQ says that while food staples continue to rise, efforts to establish fair trades are. Data collected at the checkout counter between March 9, 2024 and March 1, 2025 showed that chicken milk prices rose by $0.30 per pound, or an average of $5.75 per pound. The cost of a loaf of bread increased by $0.06, meaning consumers pay an average of $3.06 per loaf.

California Grocery Store Association. Nate Rose, a spokesman for the group, said he hopes more information on how shoppers are affected by digital incentives and whether there are other options to resolve the problem rather than adopt the ban.

“Is there another way the city itself can solve the digital divide through training or assistance programs?” Ross asked.

Grocers have not requested part of a conversation with Elo-Rivera and The City, and despite the city’s public statements since October, many supermarket chains were unaware of the ordinance until it was first passed on Monday.

Ross said that to replace online transactions entirely with printed coupons, everyone can deny the payments from the loyalty program.

“From the grocery perspective, [there’s] “A lot of mixed information can reduce your environmental footprint, but to pass the same markup, print thousands of coupons,” he said.

Ross said grocery stores that have contacted the association say they are not ready for such changes to the city of San Diego store, rather than making changes to stores in neighboring cities.

“To be honest, we want the city to take a step back,” he said.

In 2022, consumer advocates called on major supermarket chains to make digital coupons available to everyone, according to the Massachusetts Public Interest Network. In response, Sop&Shop is the largest chain in the Northeast, setting up a kiosk in 2024 where customers can scan their loyalty reward cards or enter their phone number to access “their digital coupons and activate personal offers based on shopping history.”

When will the ban take effect?

The ordinance will submit second reading and final approval to the city council within two weeks. After becoming law, San Diego grocery stores have 90 days of compliance.

How will the ban be implemented?

The ordinance does not define how grocers must comply with the upcoming laws.

Elo-Rivera shares some ideas about how grocers comply with the law, including offering:

• A small portion of coupons for grocery stores.
• Physical coupons available near items on the shelves are similar to coupon distributors.
• A brochure of online coupons that the cashier can scan the grocer at the registry.