RetailCVS Health

Say Goodbye to Those Insanely Long Receipts at CVS

By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

    John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

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    MOUNT PROSPECT, IL - JUNE 23: A woman walks into a CVS store June 23, 2005 in Mount Prospect, Illinois. CVS has introduced their new CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder, the world's first single-use point-and-shoot digital video camera. The under $30 camcorder, built on Pure Digital Technologies' imaging platform, can capture up to 20 minutes of digital quality video and sound. After its use, a consumer can return the camcorder to their local CVS and receive, that day, a DVD of their recorded efforts. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
    MOUNT PROSPECT, IL - JUNE 23: A woman walks into a CVS store June 23, 2005 in Mount Prospect, Illinois. CVS has introduced their new CVS One-Time-Use Video Camcorder, the world's first single-use point-and-shoot digital video camera. The under $30 camcorder, built on Pure Digital Technologies' imaging platform, can capture up to 20 minutes of digital quality video and sound. After its use, a consumer can return the camcorder to their local CVS and receive, that day, a DVD of their recorded efforts. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
    Tim Boyle/Getty Images

    Millions of Americans have experienced the following at a CVS: You buy one pack of gum, and the register ends up printing out a two-foot-long receipt filled with coupons.

    Don’t worry though: Parent company CVS Health (CVS) is finally in on the joke. Helena Foulkes, president of CVS/pharmacy, confirmed on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live that the retailer would give its 70 million ExtraCare Rewards members the option for digital receipts starting in early June. Those customers can opt out of receiving paper receipts for all in-store purchases when completing their transactions at the chain’s 7,900 retail locations.

    CVS promises that the opt-in for digital will only need to occur once.

    Kimmel teased that he has long campaigned for CVS to eliminate the receipts. He took credit for the retailer’s action as part of his bid to run for vice president this year, part of a running gag that kicked off earlier this month.

    “Thanks to you Jimmy, we knew our customers were very concerned about the length of our receipts,” Foulkes said on the show. In a prepared statement on Monday, Foulkes said that while many shoppers enjoy the coupons and special offers, many wanted a paperless option. Foulkes, who ranked No. 14 on Fortune‘s Most Powerful Woman list, has been credited for transforming the pharmacy retailer into a health care giant.

    CVS also added the digital coupons can be redeemed by using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Customers can also request a paper copy of a receipt at the time of purchase even if they’ve opted out.