Are app-only grocery store coupons illegal in Colorado?

Despite consumer complaints that digital and app-only coupons can limit some shoppers’ access to affordable food and other staples, there are no federal or state laws against them. 

Critics of the practice say that people who lack the technology or skill to download grocery apps, such as older adults, people whose first language is not English and people without internet access, are at a disadvantage when it comes to shopping affordably. 

The city of San Diego, California, banned digital-only coupons in April. A bill in Washington state would have required grocery stores to accept coupons from customers without requiring them to use an app or online subscription, but did not pass.

Grocery stores set their own coupon policies. King Soopers, for example, says it does not accept digital coupons from third-party shopping apps — only those issued on its website or app — and the store manager can decline or limit any coupon.