Meijer Expands Teacher Discount to Include Office Furniture, Kids' Clothing

With many parents anxiously awaiting the reopening of schools in the fall after a year of remote learning, Meijer is helping teachers get ready to return to classes by expanding its 15% educator discount to include office furniture and kids' apparel to more than 1,500 already discounted items.

According to AdoptAClassroom.org, the average teacher spent approximately $745 on supplies for the entire 2019-20 school year, but only had a $212 classroom budget.

To help address the issue of teachers spending their own money on supplies, Meijer’s discount provides savings on classroom essentials like paper, pencils, folders and notebooks at its 257 Midwest stores.

Expanding the discount to add key items like desks, bookshelves, frames, lamps and kids' clothing allows teachers some extra savings as they plan their personal supply needs, maintain remote workspaces in their homes and prepare their own families for the first day of school.

"Teachers proved to be heroes as they adapted lesson plans and extended the classroom into their homes during the pandemic," said May Graceffa, director of back-to-school merchandising for Meijer. "The upcoming school year may require flexibility, so finding a way to further reduce stress on their pocketbooks as they consider their own homes and families for the first day of classes led us to expand the offerings covered by this year's discount."

Teachers can get the discount – in the form of a paper coupon – by presenting a current school ID at their local Meijer customer service desk. They are also able to take advantage of the coupon repeatedly by obtaining a new one any time they return to Meijer throughout the back-to-school shopping season.

With the threat of COVID-19 still looming, the 15% discount also includes all-purpose cleaners, disinfecting sprays, hand sanitizer, hand tissues and baby wipes.

Further, the teacher discount stacks with the retailer's mPerks Rewards program on more than 300 items that will receive additional price drops leading up to the first day of class.  

"There is already a lot of excitement for getting back to class, so we want to do our part in helping teachers across the Midwest," Graceffa said. "Returning to school always holds special meaning, but thanks to local teachers, this back-to-school season will represent even more as our communities take another step toward normalcy."

Throughout the pandemic, Meijer has been providing support to its local educators. Back in March, it partnered with the Indiana State Teachers Association on a series of vaccine clinics at its stores to streamline the process for vaccinating teachers and school staff.

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer operates more than 255 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The company is No. 18 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.