Meijer re-ups with back-to-school teacher discount program

Meijer is making it easier for teachers to fill their classrooms with back-to-school supplies.

For the second consecutive year, Meijer is offering year-long savings of 15% on school supplies and home office equipment for teachers.

But this year, the supercenter retailer said, the coupon's savings is being expanded from traditional school products, ranging from notebooks to crayons, to additional categories like children’s apparel and shoes and cleaning supplies through Sept. 5.

Teachers can get the discount, in the form of a paper coupon, by presenting their school ID at store customer-service desks. The coupon can be used only for purchases made in-store, and some restrictions apply. Teachers can obtain new coupons any time they return to Meijer.

AdoptAClassroom surveys show that teachers are spending more and more on their classrooms out-of-pocket, for an average of $750 on supplies during the 2020-21 school year, compared with $600 in 2015, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer reported.

“Knowing just how much the average teacher spent on their classroom alone last year, without considering everything else that goes into preparing for the new school year, we hope this discount makes a big difference,” May Graceffa, director of school, home, office and toys merchandising at Meijer, said in a statement. “We know that the spending doesn’t stop once that first-day school bell rings, so we decided to offer a year-round discount again this year on the classic school supplies we know teachers will need to restock throughout the year.”

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Meijer said the expanded categories on discount through Sept. 5 can also help teachers’ family budgets.

“We also recognize that, for many teachers, their classroom budget and their family budget are one in the same, so we're excited to continue offering extra savings for them on categories that will make a difference across their budget,” according Graceffa.

“As a one-stop shop, we’re happy to bring that extra level of convenience for teachers and parents to be able to pick up everything they need as part of their weekly grocery trip,” she added.

Overall, Meijer operates 262 supercenters and grocery stores across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.