For years, discount coupons were seen as a simple tool to quickly boost sales volume. They were handed out en masse in flyers or on packaging, accepting margin loss in exchange for turnover. That approach is outdated. Today, a coupon is more like a precise surgical instrument. Effective FMCG consumer promotion now means delivering the right value to the right person at the right time.
Before diving into the mechanics, let’s understand the ground we’re working on. The Polish consumer has evolved into a smart shopper.
According to the 2024 “Inquiry Market Research” report, 58% of Polish consumers actively look for promotions before grocery shopping. NielsenIQ data shows that over 40% of the value in a Polish grocery basket comes from promotional products - one of the highest rates in Europe.
The takeaway: competing on price is standard, but to protect profitability, any discount must serve a clear strategic purpose.
Paper coupons have two major drawbacks: they’re anonymous and can’t be tracked in real time. All you know is that they were redeemed.
Smart discount coupons use unique digital codes - alphanumeric codes, QR codes, or barcodes in apps - linked to a marketing automation system. This lets you track the full journey, from coupon acquisition to redemption.
Implementing marketing automation lets you move away from mass campaigns toward behavior-triggered actions. Here are four of the most effective scenarios we’ve tested for the FMCG sector.
A consumer buys your coffee but next time chooses a cheaper competitor.
A marketing automation system analyzes product lifecycles. Suppose a standard coffee pack lasts 21 days. You set up a scenario where, on day 18 after purchase, the consumer receives a personalized 15% discount coupon (via SMS or email) for the same coffee.
When the coupon is redeemed, you gain two benefits: you know exactly when the consumer purchased (useful for personalizing future messages), and sales increase.
A consumer registers a coupon confirming the purchase of breakfast cereal, providing their data, including an email address.
With Marketing Automation, you can instantly generate a discount coupon for a related product - e.g., a plant-based drink from the same brand. Add a short expiration date to encourage a quick return to the store.
The result: not only increased sales, but also presenting consumers with a ready-made solution (in this case, a complete breakfast) rather than just a single product.
FMCG consumer databases age quickly. Contacts “go dormant” - they stop responding to communications and buying products.
Segmenting the database helps identify consumers who haven’t registered a coupon in the last 90 days. The marketing automation system sends this group an emotionally framed message (“We miss you!”) along with a high-value discount coupon (30% off or “second product for 1 cent”).
Why the high discount? The cost of winning back an existing customer is still lower than acquiring a new one. Marketing Metrics data shows the likelihood of selling to an existing customer is 60–70%, compared to just 5–20% for a new one.
In a world with limited cookie tracking, declarative data is currency. The coupon is the price you pay to get it.
The consumer sees an ad: “Get a $10 starter coupon.” To claim it, they fill out a short profiling survey (“Do you have a dog or a cat?” “Do you drink coffee black or with milk?”).
Two benefits for the FMCG brand: not only do they sell the product at a discount (building consumer loyalty), but they also collect data to personalize future communications.
In other words, you no longer send dog food ads to cat owners.
Watch out for brand devaluation. If a product is constantly available with a coupon, consumers stop seeing its regular price as fair.
Always maintain promotional hygiene:
