Giant Eagle ends mailed weekly circulars in Pittsburgh

Giant Eagle will stop mailing its weekly ad circulars to consumers in its home market of Pittsburgh, effective March 2.

A notice in the most recent circular announced that the circulars were “moving from your mailbox to your inbox” and provided a QR code that customers can scan to create a digital account and to begin receiving the weekly circulars digitally. Customers can also download the circular via the company’s mobile app and can access the circular for their local store through the Giant Eagle website.

Printed circulars will still be available in stores, the company said.

“At Giant Eagle, we are actively evolving alongside our guests to meet their unique interests with personalized savings opportunities,” said Jannah Jablonowski, a spokeswoman for Giant Eagle. “An important part of this journey is our continued shift to an enhanced digital shopping experience where personalization can be more easily achieved.”

Giant Eagle had previously ended the mailing of printed circulars in the Cleveland and central Ohio markets, she said, adding that the company plans to transition its remaining markets to digital circulars this year.

The move comes as more food retailers expand their digital capabilities and turn to their mobile apps as platforms for engaging with their customers.

Related:Giant Eagle brings Flashfood to all supermarkets

“To align with consumers’ preferences for digital, retailers are increasingly converting their print mailers into digital circulars,” coupon specialist Catalina said in a recent blog post.

The most valuable benefits to retailers include the ability to personalize content and hyper-target audiences based on variables such as language, gender, location, age, purchase behavior and more, Catalina said.

Catalina said that not long before the pandemic, a survey found that 80% of shoppers said they preferred print circulars over digital options, but in 2020, only 62% of consumers reported using print circulars to find deals.

Meanwhile, research from Apptopia last year found that consumers were spending significantly more time on grocery apps searching for coupons and deals as inflation was gaining momentum.