It’s more than just a punch line
Here’s the Real Reason CVS Receipts Are So Darn Long
Published on Feb. 24, 2025
Even if you’ve never set foot inside a CVS, chances are, you still know all about the drugstore chain’s comically long receipts. From internet memes to a scarf sold on Amazon that looks like it just emerged from the printer at checkout, CVS receipts have become famous in the most hilarious way. But all jokes aside, have you ever stopped to wonder why CVS receipts are so long? Why, when other stores print out perfectly normal-sized receipts, does every CVS purchase result in a receipt so long, it looks like a party streamer?
Keep reading to get to the bottom of this decades-old question and find out how you can save beaucoup bucks on your next trip to CVS.
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Just how long is the average CVS receipt?
While no scientific studies have tackled this question (shocking, we know!), they’re rarely, if ever, under a foot long and can stretch several feet. One intrepid Reader’s Digest editor pulled out her trusty tape measure after her most recent CVS visit, and though she bought just two items, her receipt was 30 inches long—which, to put it in perspective, is about as tall as the average toddler. The most surprising part of that? She said it was the shortest receipt she’d likely ever gotten from CVS.
Additional anecdotes back this up. Other shoppers have reported receipts that are 3 to 4 feet long, and a few years ago, one Redditor said his receipt for a purchase of three items was a whopping 6 feet long!
Why are CVS receipts so long?
If you get an impressively long receipt at CVS and you haven’t bought out the entire store, it’s because you’re a member of CVS’s ExtraCare Rewards Program. “CVS receipts are long because they include various coupons—often including money off a purchase amount as well as product-specific deals,” says money-saving expert Andrea Woroch. “Those ExtraCare Bucks printed on their receipts are like free money to use at CVS.”
Signing up for the ExtraCare Rewards Program is free, and once you’ve joined, you’ll get rewards, coupons and deals after every purchase; whatever you’re eligible for (for your next purchase) will be printed at the bottom of your receipt. All of these offers are personalized based on your shopping history and location, so if you buy a lot of pet products, you’ll probably get coupons for more pet products, and so on. That’s why it takes so much time for them to print and why your receipt is so long.
And nearly 25 years after it debuted, that crazy-long receipt isn’t just about savings. After so much time, those distinctive receipts became synonymous with the brand—and acted as a successful marketing tactic. Personalized coupons and rewards compel customers to continue shopping at CVS, and those long, reward-packed receipts make the experience feel almost like a game.
Can you get the coupons on the receipt digitally?
For years, you could get ExtraCare Rewards only in paper form, but in 2016, Helena Foulkes, who was president of CVS at the time, launched a digital-receipt option for CVS customers. “While many customers prefer traditional paper receipts, we also offer a digital-first solution for our in-store receipts if an ExtraCare member prefers a paperless option,” a CVS representative tells Reader’s Digest. “At checkout, ExtraCare members have the option to select whether they’d like a printed receipt, email receipt or no receipt during every transaction.”
Instead of receiving coupons in person, you can log in to your ExtraCare Rewards account online and manually send them to your card. Then, the next time you check out, those coupons will automatically be applied to your purchase so you don’t have to bring the paper versions.
Is there any benefit to the printed coupons over the digital ones?
The good news is that whether you use the printed or digital coupons, your savings will be the same. “ExtraCare members who opt not to print a receipt won’t lose any deals or rewards they’ve earned—they’re always available in the CVS Health app,” according to the CVS representative we spoke with. “All coupons are automatically digitized, so ExtraCare members can quickly browse our app and send coupons and rewards to their card.”
But for shoppers, those printed coupons might still be your best bet. Why? It all boils down to psychology. Though they’re the same coupons, “printed coupons often serve as a reminder to use them,” Woroch explains.
It’s also all about strategy, she adds. “The best strategy isn’t waiting for a coupon when you check out—instead, enter your loyalty number at one of the kiosks where you can get coupons printed before you shop to see what you can save more on,” she says. “The coupons may offer savings on items you use daily, and it could be a good time to buy and stock up, even if you weren’t planning to buy the item at that time.”
Has there ever been a push to get rid of these long receipts?
Excessively long receipts use a lot of paper, which isn’t great for the environment, so it’s not surprising that not everyone loves this wastefulness. Back in 2015, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made a plea to then-president Barack Obama to do something about the long receipts. The digital-receipt option was launched by CVS in response.
In 2019, San Francisco assemblyman Phil Ting introduced a bill that would phase out paper receipts altogether, citing their negative environmental impact, but the bill didn’t pass. And after that? Crickets. Today, there’s no sign the printed receipts are going anywhere in the near future.
What should you do with your CVS receipt?
As soon as you get home from CVS, grab a pair of scissors and clip those coupons! That way, savings will be top of mind before your next trip, as Woroch noted earlier. Remember: On those receipts, you’ll likely find a combination of traditional coupons, deals and CVS’s ExtraCare Bucks. Use them on your next CVS trip, and you might be able to shave quite a few dollars off your purchase.
One important tip: “Take note of any expiration dates, though, so you don’t miss the deal,” says Woroch. “You can set an alert in your calendar to remind you to use it. Stash the ones you want to keep in your wallet or keep them in your car so you always have them when you run out to CVS next.”
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Sources:
- Andrea Woroch, money-saving expert; email interview, February 2025
- CVS representative; email interview, February 2025
- AdWeek: “Why We Have Jimmy Kimmel to Thank for CVS’ Switch to Digital Receipts”
