Crest Foods Policy on Printable Coupons

So I recently discovered that there is a Crest Foods grocery store right down the street from my house. Now I have never heard anything of Crest so I snooped around their website until I found a policy on using printable coupons at their stores. Now some of the content did strike me as odd and at times down right false, but it's their policy and we have to go by it.

Click HERE to print the pdf policy at home!

Here is what their policy says for printable coupon usage at their store. *Please note, this policy is dated June 7th, 2010.*

Internet Coupon Acceptance Store Policy

[Crest Foods] accepts legitimate printable coupons that consumers receive via retailer and manufacturer websites and email campaigns, through interactive advertising and promotions on web publisher sites, and from legitimate online coupon sites. We recognize that our customers are increasingly turning to the Internet to find coupons. In an effort to make using printable coupons a positive experience, we have created these store policies and consumer guidelines to help consumers and store personnel alike prevent the abuse of these promotions.

Printable Coupons…

• Always scan properly at the register. Legitimate printable coupons are delivered using special software designed to print a properly rendered barcode on the coupon. [Crest Foods] will only accept printable coupons if they scan properly at checkout.

• Will not be for “free” product. It is an industry practice not to produce printable coupons for free product. Buy-one-get-one-free coupons and other values that have a purchase requirement are acceptable. “Free product” coupons should always be pre-printed and sent via postal mail or published in media, and printed double-sided and/or on security paper. [Crest Foods] will not accept “FREE product” printable coupons.

• Will not be for a high value relative to the cost of the item. For example, a $2 off coupon will be acceptable for a product that normally sells for $5 or more, but a $2 off printable coupon for a product that sells for $2.25 is unlikely to be legitimate. [Crest Foods] will not accept coupons for more than 75% of a product’s value. We will not accept coupons internet or otherwise for $3.00 and over.

• Usually have short expiration dates. Some coupons may have longer expiration dates, but most expire 30-45 days after you print them. [Crest Foods] receives information about valid printable coupon expiration dates and may reject coupons that have altered expiration dates.

• Never appear on screen. All legitimate printable coupons are sent directly to the printer after clicking on a link in your web browser or email. A legitimate coupon is never sent as a graphic or PDF or sent in a Word document.

• Are never copied, sold or traded. Nearly all coupons are “non-transferable” meaning they should not be photocopied or scanned and distributed to others. Coupons are never sold and you should not pay for someone’s “time to clip” or other service fee. You should always print the coupon yourself directly from the website or email that is offering it. Only then can you ensure you are printing a legitimate coupon.  Coupons  may  be rejected if they appear out of proportion or blurry, or are obvious duplicates.

• Are nearly always printed using the same technology and therefore have a standard format, with very specific security features, including a unique serial code.  Coupons may be rejected if they appear to have been altered in any way.

• Can be checked for validity at http://www.veri-fi.com.