FAQ: Safeway FAQ

[tealover]

Welcome to the Safeway Forum, please feel free to ask questions, post deals, and save money!

Safeway Inc. is one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America. As of September 12, 2009, the company operated 1,730 stores in the Western, Southwestern, Rocky Mountain, Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States and in Western Canada. In support of its stores, Safeway has an extensive network of distribution, manufacturing and food processing facilities. Safeway also holds a 49% interest in Casa Ley, S.A. de C.V., which operates 149 food and general merchandise stores in Western Mexico.

Safeway is organized on a regional basis and operates under various banners within these different regions of the country:

• Chicago (Dominick’s)
• Denver (Safeway)
• Eastern - MD, VA, D.C. (Safeway)
• Eastern - DE, NJ, PA (Genuardi’s)
• Northern California and Hawaii (Safeway)
• Phoenix (Safeway)
• Portland (Safeway)
• Texas (Randall’s/Tom Thumb)
• Seattle and Alaska (Safeway/Carrs)
• Southern California (Vons/Pavilions)

Weekly Ad

Safeway Ad

Each region has their own weekly sales ad. Sometimes there is a weekend (mini) ad that complements the midweek version. The different regions can vary on which day of the week that their midweek ad starts. The ad can be viewed online via the stores websites, just select the store location that you want to shop and the relevant ad will be displayed for that region/store.

Websites:

• Safeway
• Carrs
• Dominick's
• Genuardis
• Pavilions
• Randalls
• Tom Thumb
• Vons

Club Card

Safeway stores require a Club Card to receive advertised specials and promotions. An application can be printed from home via the website, or received and submitted in the store.

Just show your Card at checkout whenever you shop. Your savings are automatically deducted and appear on your receipt. If you forget your Card, just enter your telephone number at checkout and receive your savings.

Safeway Club Card membership also entitles you to earn airline miles, earn money for your school with the Safeway eScrip program, and save money for College with Upromise®. Click here for more information on these programs.

Safeway "Store" Coupons

Store coupons are marked with the word "coupon" right after the store name. To make it easier to save with store coupons, take a look at these common questions and answers.

What is a Super Coupon?

Super Coupons bring you even more value than regular store coupons. You can identify them by the term "Super Coupon" printed on the coupon itself, or directly above a series of coupons.

What does "Limit one item per coupon" mean?

This phrase means that the coupon price is valid for one product, within one shopping trip, and cannot be duplicated on that trip. For example, if a coupon offers an 18 oz. box of Cheerios for $1.99, and states "limit one item per coupon," you can purchase just one box of Cheerios at that price on that shopping trip. At the register, just give the coupon to the checker, along with your Club Card, to receive the coupon price. If you have another copy of that same coupon, you can use it on your next shopping trip.

If you have several different coupons for several different items, you can use those coupons on the same shopping trip. However, you cannot use more than one coupon for the same item within one shopping trip.

What does "minimum $10 (or $20) purchase required" mean?

To use store coupons that include a minimum purchase requirement, you must spend a minimum dollar amount on that shopping trip. You will reach the minimum purchase amount based upon total purchases after your Club Card discount is applied. For example, the regular retail price of a box of Cheerios (after Club Card discounts) will count toward the minimum purchase required in order to use the Cheerios coupon.

If you are using several store coupons in a shopping trip, you will only need to meet one minimum purchase requirement. For example, if you are using three coupons, and they each specify a minimum purchase requirement of $20, your minimum purchase requirement for the total shopping trip is $20, and not $60.

What does "selected varieties" mean?

Occasionally, store coupons can be used for additional flavors or varieties of products that are not specified on the coupon. For example, if a 2-liter bottle of Coke is shown on a coupon with a "selected varieties" message, Diet Coke will also be eligible for the coupon discount. If you have any questions regarding what "varieties" are eligible for the coupon price, please see a store customer service representative.

This information can also be found on the Safeway web site here.

Ecoupons

Safeway partners with Shortcuts, Cellfire, and Proctor & Gamble to place ecoupons on your Safeway club card. You can view a full list of FAQ's devoted to this topic here. Ecoupons can be combined with paper coupons at checkout.

Safeway Coupon Acceptance Policy

Manufacturer and Store Coupons:

1. Coupons are redeemable only by a customer purchasing the specific brands and product(s) stated on the coupon, with the face value of the coupon deducted from your retail or club card price.

2. Coupons must be for products sold at Safeway and coupons must be presented at the time of the transaction.

3. Coupons are subject to advertised offer limitations and all limitations and restrictions on coupon.

4. Coupons cannot be applied against the free item received in any offer where a customer buys one or more items to get one or more items free.

5. Coupon amount may be reduced so that any combined discounts and coupons do not exceed the value of the item. See number 12 below.

6. Coupons have no cash value.

7. Accepted coupons must be Manufacturer or Safeway store issued coupons.

8. Safeway will accept valid manufacturer coupons that display another retailer’s logo or name.

9. Safeway will accept valid Catalina manufacturer coupons that are issued to a customer by another retailer.

10. The coupon must have an expiration date and be presented within valid dates.

11. Coupons are void if they appear distorted or blurry, are altered in any way or copied.

12. The transaction amount may not fall below zero value, or go negative, meaning we will not give the customer money back.

13. All sales taxes are paid by the customer at the full value of the item.

14. All bottle deposits on the purchased and free items are paid by the customer.

15. Safeway reserves the right to refuse any coupons at its discretion.

Internet Printed Coupons:

16. We gladly accept internet printed coupons. The same manufacturer and store coupon rules above apply to all internet printed coupons.

17. Internet printed coupons must scan at checkout.

18. Internet printed coupons must have serial numbers and follow an industry-standard format.

19. Manufacturer internet printed coupons must clearly indicate that they are a manufacturer coupon and have a valid manufacture address on the printed coupon.

20. We will not accept “free product” internet printed manufacturer coupons.

Load to Card Club Coupons:

21. Internet and digital coupons that have been electronically loaded to a Safeway Club Card are automatically redeemed at the time of purchase after the club card number has been entered. All other coupon policies above apply to electronic coupons that are loaded to a club card.

Doubling of Coupons:

22. Check with your local store regarding ‘double coupon’ advertised promotions where customers will receive double the coupon face value off the regular or club card price up to the advertised limit. Not all locations offer double coupon promotions. Limitations and restrictions for double coupon promotions may change at any time. Changes will be posted in store only.

Coupon Stacking: (Hawaii stores only)

23. Safeway does not allow a customer to redeem two or more manufacturer coupons against the same item in a single transaction.

24. Coupon stacking policies for manufacturer coupons apply to paper and electronic coupons that have been loaded to a club card.

25. If a customer presents two coupons for the same item in a single transaction, Safeway will only accept the first coupon to be applied in the system.

Rainchecks:

26. Rainchecks expire 90 days from the date issued and are accepted at any Safeway store.

27. We reserve the right to limit Rainchecks quantities based on product availability and advertised limits.

28. Rainchecks can be written for a limit of no more than 3 items unless otherwise stated in the advertisement.

We may change this policy at any time. All coupon redemptions are subject to the policy in effect at time of redemption. Policy changes may not be advertised. The current policy will be posted at the customer service area in each store.

Revision Date: 6/7/2010

This policy can be found here on the Safeway website. If a store does not follow this published policy then you should complain to corporate at 1-877-723-3929.

Brands

Safeway have several store brands, here's what they have to say:

High quality brands at low prices throughout the store. Whatever item you're looking for, we've got the best brands at the best prices right here-from everyday essentials like milk and paper towels to premium, specialty items like gourmet coffee and organic lasagna. Find a full line of baby products created for moms, by moms and a wide selection of better tasting and better for you Eating Right™ meals.

• mom to mom™ - As a mom, you want nothing but the best for your baby.
• Safeway SELECT® - Who says life has to be ordinary? Safeway SELECT brings unexpected surprises to you and your family in every aisle.
• Priority® Pet Care - Promote optimum health and well-being for your four-legged family member with Priority.
• Lucerne® - We've been offering a complete line of wholesome, nourishing dairy products since 1904.
• Rancher's Reserve® - Whether it's a backyard barbeque or a holiday feast, when you're cooking for your family and friends, you only want the best.
• Primo Taglio® - Escape to the old world with this exclusive line of perfectly aged cheeses and hand-trimmed meats, all crafted using traditional, time-honored practices.
• Basic Red® - From paper towels to disposable tableware, these are the everyday basics your family relies on, at prices your budget will welcome.
• Signature Cafe™ - The one thing we can all count on is that there are never enough hours in the day. But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat well. In fact, the wide range of delectable prepared choices from Signature Cafe make it easier than you can imagine.

Safeway Store Coupons - It's Got To Be Real

One of HCW's goals is to help in the fight against fraudulent, fake & unauthorized coupons from being posted on our site.

Be sure to check this thread for any Safeway store coupons that are unapproved for posting. We will update this thread as necessary to let you know if a particular coupon is being researched & the outcome of that research.

HCW also has an "Its Got To Be Real" Forum located here. Be sure to check this forum for all the latest on Manufacturer coupons that are known to be counterfeit or info that may be posted about websites that are not allowed to be linked to, etc. In this forum you will also find all kinds of helpful info & tips on how to spot these types of coupons.

Is It Fake, Is It Real, Can I Post It? You can report a coupon to be researched using the forms found here.

Please Note:

1. If you see someone on HCW offering a coupon you know or suspect to be counterfeit, please use the red triangle at the top right corner of their post to send a report to the HCW Staff.

2. Discussions regarding the usage of counterfeit coupons is not allowed at HCW & is subject to the Warning / Infraction System.

Thank you for keeping HCW all about the LEGITIMATE Deals

[tealover]

Updated thread with updated Coupon Policy.

[momto8kiddos]

I wrote Safeway about a BOGO question and received the following yesterday. It seemed more indepth than the one posted at the beginning of the FAQ so thought it might be helpful.

>>
For your convenience, we have provided the policy related to coupons.

1. We will redeem coupons only for the specific items included in our customer's purchase transaction. The redemption value will be as stated on the coupon, unless that value yields a final price for such item less than zero; if application of the redemption value yields a price less than zero, the coupon will be redeemed only for the amount that yields a zero price (our customer cannot net a cash credit or payout from a coupon purchase).
Example: If the coupon exceeds the value of the item, the coupon will be adjusted down to the value of the item.

2. Paper coupons must be presented at the time of the purchase transaction. We will accept only coupons issued by Safeway or the manufacturer of the relevant product. We will not accept photocopies of coupons.
Example: This means that customers cannot return to the customer service desk with their receipt and have coupons applied to an order, after the fact.

3. Coupons are subject to advertised offer limitations and all other limitations and restrictions on the applicable coupon or product.

4. Coupons may not be applied against any free item received in any offer.

5. Coupons have no cash value.

6. Safeway will not accept manufacturer coupons (including, but not limited to, coupons issued through a Catalina or other in-store coupon dispenser) that display another retailer's logo or name unless such coupon is for a specific item with the same product identifiers as the product included in our customer's purchase transaction.
Example: This means customers can’t use other store’s Catalina checkout-coupons (such as Walgreens Register Rewards). They CAN continue to use manufacturer coupon for a specific product that have a store logo.

7. We will not accept coupons unless they have an expiration date.

8. We will not accept coupons that, in the determination of Safeway personnel, appear distorted or blurry or are altered in any way.

9. Sales taxes will be applied in accordance with the law of the applicable state, regardless of any coupon or other discount that may apply to the purchase transaction.

10. All applicable bottle and packaging deposits on the purchased and free items must be paid by the customer.

11. Safeway reserves the right to refuse any coupons at its discretion.

12. Purchase reward thresholds (if any) will be calculated based upon customer's final price (after deducting Club Card savings and all other discounts and savings) before deductions for any manufacturer coupons. As an example (and not as an offer), if a $10 minimum purchase is required for a customer reward, a customer's order at full retail would be $12, a Club Card discount of $1.75 applies, and a manufacturer's coupon of $1 applies, the customer would be given credit for a $10.25 purchase, and would be eligible for the reward (assuming compliance with all other requirements) even though the customer's cash payment would be only $9.25. The manufacturer's coupon would not be deducted from the total for purposes of determining reward eligibility.
Example: This is just saying that minimum purchase requirements are to be calculated AFTER club card savings but BEFORE manufacturer coupons.

13. References to a threshold purchase requirement will exclude purchases of: Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tobacco Products, Fuel, All Fluid Items in the Refrigerated Dairy Section (including Fluid Dairy and Dairy Substitutes), Prescription Items and Co-payments, Bus/Commuter Passes, Fishing/Hunting Licenses and Tags, Postage Stamps, Money Orders, Money Transfers, Ski Tickets, Amusement Park Tickets, Event Tickets, Lottery Tickets, Phone Cards, Gift Cards, and Gift Certificates; also excluded are: Bottle Deposits, Redemption Values, and Sales Taxes.

• Internet Printed Coupons:

14. We gladly accept internet printed coupons. The same manufacturer and store coupon rules above apply to all internet printed coupons.

15. Internet printed coupons must be capable of scanning at checkout.

16. Internet printed coupons must have serial numbers and must follow an industry-standard format.

17. Manufacturer internet printed coupons must clearly indicate that they are a manufacturer coupon and must have a valid manufacture address on the printed coupon.

18. We will not accept "free product" internet printed manufacturer coupons.

• Load to Card Club Coupons:

19. Internet and digital coupons that have been electronically loaded to a Safeway Club Card are automatically redeemed at the time of purchase after the club card number has been entered. All other coupon policies above apply to electronic coupons that are loaded to a club card.

• Doubling of Coupons:

20. Check with your local store regarding ‘double coupon' advertised promotions where customers will receive double the coupon face value off the regular or club card price up to the advertised limit. Not all locations offer double coupon promotions. Limitations and restrictions for double coupon promotions may change at any time. Changes will be posted in store only.

• Coupon Stacking:

21. Safeway does not allow a customer to redeem two or more manufacturer coupons against the same item in a single transaction.

22. Coupon stacking policies for manufacturer coupons apply to paper and electronic coupons that have been loaded to a club card.

23. If a customer presents two coupons for the same item in a single transaction, Safeway will give the highest discount for that item, subject to the terms of the applicable offer and/or coupon.

• Rainchecks:

24. Rainchecks expire ninety (90) days from the date issued and will not be accepted at any Safeway store after that time.

25. We reserve the right to limit Raincheck quantities based on product availability and advertised limits.

26. Rainchecks can be issued for up to six (6) items unless otherwise stated in the applicable advertisement.

27. Rainchecks can be issued for all items, excluding Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tobacco Products, Fuel, All Fluid Items in the Refrigerated Dairy Section (including Fluid Dairy and Dairy Substitutes), which exclusions may vary from state to state.

28. Rainchecks can be offered for store super coupon items unless otherwise specified on the coupon. Rainchecks will not be provided for items advertised as "clearance", "while supplies last," limited quantities," or other designation indicating a limited supply.

<<

[tealover]

Originally Posted by momto8kiddos 13. References to a threshold purchase requirement will exclude purchases of: Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tobacco Products, Fuel, All Fluid Items in the Refrigerated Dairy Section (including Fluid Dairy and Dairy Substitutes), Prescription Items and Co-payments, Bus/Commuter Passes, Fishing/Hunting Licenses and Tags, Postage Stamps, Money Orders, Money Transfers, Ski Tickets, Amusement Park Tickets, Event Tickets, Lottery Tickets, Phone Cards, Gift Cards, and Gift Certificates; also excluded are: Bottle Deposits, Redemption Values, and Sales Taxes.

Milk (and other "dairy fluids") are excluded? What the heck?

[Quakingaspen]

I am new to Safeway - and ran in for a few items. I was told I could not "piggyback" a MC with the in ad Safeway coupon (NOT an MC) by a manager. I do not see this in the description above. Is this a new policy- or was she wrong??

[couponlover]

Sorry that happened to you. You can use a manufacturer coupon with a Safeway in ad store coupon!

[Quakingaspen]

Thank you! I thought it was very weird - and here the grocery stores are highly competitive with one another.

She must have gotten a training on not stacking 2 MC or 2 safeway coupons together and took that to mean ANY 2 coupons.

Next time I'll go prepared. Thanks again!

[tealover]

Yes, she was wrong, you should have no problem using both. Actually if you were signed up for their "Just For You" feature you could have added the Safeway Coupon to your card electronically before you left for the store and then only handed over the Manufacturer coupon. She wouldn't even have noticed then since the Safeway coupon would come off automatically when you enter your club card number.

If you have problems with this store you should email customer support and get it in writing, then print it out and take it to the store.

[jaws1]

They also have their coupon policy online at their site ... I just printed it. Last revision was 2/16/11.

Tealover, I put the link in case you want to verify! I didn't compare this to the one posted on 4/8/11, but just glancing through, it looked like the same.
Safeway - just for u Coupon Policy

(PS--Hope you don't mind my posting this.)

[Pinkdot]

Hello i'm new to couponing and have a question.

How many times can i use the in store coupon on an item?
For example the Breyer's Blast is $2.49 with in store coupon, i want to use it twice since i have 2 of the internet printable coupons. Can i do that or its one per item?

Thanks in advance