Money savvy shoppers are finding ways to save money on their weekly shop, as the cost of living crisis continues to affect swathes of society. Buying products that have been discounted owing to a shorter shelf life - yellow sticker food - may help keep costs down.
You may have seen shoppers hanging around shopping aisles near the end of the day in the hope of picking up a food bargain. This is because it is common practice for supermarkets to sell off unsold food, nearing its use-by date, at a heavily discounted price at the end of the day.
Seeing a flash of yellow sticker on a supermarket shelf means a real bargain could be on the horizon. There is no set time for yellow sticker foods to be made available to the public. There are however windows of time where yellow sticker food will make an appearance. The window from 1pm to 3pm is a good time to pick up discounted sandwiches or meal deals.
Read more: Morrisons shopper's warning to anyone who buys yellow sticker reduced items
Best times for yellow stickers
Each of the supermarkets has slightly different timings for putting their yellow sticker reduced items out on the shelves. The exact timings are below but it's also worth noting that the day after a big event like Eurovision or the FA Cup Final is also a brilliant time to grab a yellow sticker bargain.
- Asda - 7pm and onwards
- Morrisons - 6pm and onwards
- Tesco - 6pm and onwards
- Sainsbury's - 6pm and onwards
- Aldi - 8am (when the stores open)
- Lidl - 8am (when the stores open)
M&S- 30 minutes before stores close
Where to look for yellow sticker food
Often there will be a dedicated area for yellow sticker items, such as a chiller cabinet for foods that need to be eaten on the day or within 24-hours. Some non-perishable foods such as crisps, with a lapsed best-before date, can also be found near the checkouts of supermarkets.
Tips on how to get the best out of your weekly shopping trip
Get familiar with the times that shop assistants wielding their precious yellow sticker guns, do their rounds. Make a note of when you see certain bargains appear and see if you can spot a pattern.
If it is a special time of year such as today’s FA Cup Final, Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend, Halloween or Christmas, make a note in your diary and visit your local supermarket either at the end of the day, or the morning after. Chances are product lines of past events, such as festive chocolates or Easter eggs will be heavily marked down.
