ACP Conference 2025: Key Takeaways

Last week, pep team members Annie McGinn and Hailey Sokol, had the incredible opportunity to attend the 2025 ACP -Association for Coupon and Promotions' Annual Conference. They were able to connect with so many brilliant leaders in the coupon & promotions industry. They were also privy to insightful, inspiring speeches around the latest and greatest in the industry. Annie and Hailey wanted to share their key takeaways from the conference, so please continue reading to hear all the exciting news.

Key Takeaways:

1. Consumer Behavior. In today’s economy, people are most concerned about the price of groceries over other factors including salary and cost of healthcare. Consumers are looking at brands to offer more coupons to supplement the costs. That means to the consumer value and accessibility are just as important as brand trust. The #1 reason consumers switch brands is for a better price. Value outweighs nearly all other factors. Additionally, we learned that deep discounts don't just drive one time trial -they're gateways to long term loyalty. The Krazy Coupon Lady claims that 50% of shoppers need a coupon value of at least half off to try a new product; however, we also learned that loyalty is fragile. Consistent value and follow-up offers are what turn trial into loyalty.

2. Coupon Legislation. Digital coupons and pricing actions are increasingly tied to personal data, leading to new legislation that could impact consumer savings. Legislation like San Diego's Digital Coupon Ordinance and New York's Algorithmic Pricing Disclosure Act (requiring the following notice "THIS PRICE WAS SET BY AN ALGORITHM USING YOUR PERSONAL DATA") are reshaping how deals are offered. Retailers face significant challenges in compliance, potentially leading to confusion, reduced digital offers, and a search for alternative solutions like paper coupons or in-store kiosks.

3. The Future of Product Information: 2D Barcodes. 2D barcodes offer a massive leap in data capacity (can contain up to 2,335 characters vs. between 8 to 48 characters for 1D barcodes) allowing packaging to carry more information in the future including: detailed product info, regulatory & certification data, loyalty programs, consumer engagement features, recall & traceability, and even sustainability details. Imagine barcodes that adapt based on language settings, time of day, or location! Expect a transitional period where both 1D and 2D barcodes coexist on packaging.

4. 8112 Universal Coupons unlock both speed and flexibility for CPGs. 8112 offers unlock speed by having fewer approval layers, the ability to quickly react to sales trends, and same-day setup. Flexibility is unlocked by responding to competitor pricing changes, filling in the gaps for retailer-rejected promotions, running audience targeted coupons, and moving through heavy/seasonal inventory. Universal coupons also mitigate fraud, allowing CPGs to execute more and higher-value coupons due to enhanced security. 95 offers are already in market and Target is on deck to start using 8112 coupons.

We hope these insights from the 2025 ACP conference can be informative to your business. With a complex and dynamic promotions landscape, it is hard to keep up with all the changes in the industry. As the consumer promotion experts, we help our clients anticipate and navigate this space to drive optimal results for their business. Let us know how we can help you.