The best time for Brits to snag a yellow sticker bargain at major supermarkets including Aldi, Asda, Tesco and Lidl this festive season has been revealed.
Major supermarkets across the country will close their doors on Christmas Day and as a result will be desperate to clear out any perishables and festive-themed food.
How will they do this? By slashing the prices of these items to "rock-bottom levels", VoucherCodes.co.uk explains.
Savings expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk, Anita Naik, said "timing is everything when it comes to bagging these unbelievable deals".
How to save money
Shop at the right moment, and you can save a fortune and enjoy luxury products for less.
So, when exactly should you hit the aisles for these yellow sticker steals on Christmas Eve?
The best times to bag a bargain at major UK supermarkets this Christmas?
Lidl
Lidl’s yellow sticker markdowns usually happen in two waves: one early in the morning when stores open at 8am, and another in the evening before closing.
For the deepest discounts, plan your Christmas Eve visit around 5pm, Anita recommended.
The saving expert added: "Staff at Lidl have been known to apply extra reductions between 4pm and 5pm, just before doors close at 6pm."
Aldi
Aldi also has a two-round system for markdowns - first thing in the morning (from 8am) and again later in the evening.
But unlike Lidl, Aldi uses red stickers to highlight its discounted products.
Anita advised bargain hunters to be at Aldi by 5pm on Christmas Eve for the best bargains (before stores close at 6pm).
She added: "Red-sticker items are scattered across the store, so keep your eyes peeled.
"From meat to packaged goods, Aldi tends to mark down items by up to 75% on their final day of sale."
Asda
Asda’s reductions follow a three-tier system: the first in the morning, a second midday, and a final round of markdowns around 7pm, VoucherCodes.co.uk explains.
On Christmas Eve, plan your shop for 6pm to catch the best deals, especially on fresh fruit and veg, which can drop as low as 10p, Anita added.
M&S
"M&S keeps it simple but strategic", Anita explained, with stores reducing items about an hour before closing.
On Christmas Eve, the saving expert recommends arriving at 3pm to snag the best bargains before stores close at 4pm.
She continued: "If you can’t make it earlier, some M&S stores often apply last-minute reductions in the final 30 minutes before closing time.
"If you’re willing to risk it all, here is when you’ll find the mega bargains."
Tesco
Tesco's yellow stickers also roll out in three waves - around 10am, 2pm, and 7pm, according to Anita’s research.
She said: "For the biggest bargains, head to Tesco an hour before closing. Depending on your local store, on Christmas Eve, this will be 6pm or 7pm."
Morrisons
Morrisons usually applies its first reductions as soon as stores open, and saves a final further markdown for the evening.
With Morrisons closing at 4pm on Christmas Eve, the best deals are likely to pop up around 3pm, according to Anita.
Sainsbury’s
At Sainsbury’s, yellow stickers appear around 2pm and again at 6pm.
With this in mind, the VoucherCodes.co.uk expert said: "With stores closing at 7pm on Christmas Eve, arriving at 6pm will give you the best chance to bag festive treats for less."
Extra festive foodie money-saving tips
There are a number of other ways you can save money this festive season, according to Anita:
- Stock up and freeze: Many festive food items can be frozen and used later, meaning you can stretch your savings into the New Year.
- Get creative: "Yellow sticker shopping can inspire inventive and seasonal meals. Use discounted ingredients to whip up something new and exciting for the family," the savings expert said.
- Ask for further reductions: Don’t hesitate to ask staff if items you want will be marked down again soon.
- Skip the stigma: "There’s no shame in scoring a deal! Shopping smarter allows you to splurge on higher-quality items that might not usually fit your budget," Anita added.
- Seasonal specials: Look out for markdowns on Christmas-specific items as they often carry the biggest discounts on Christmas Eve, along with fresh foods like fruit, veg, and dairy.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Christmas opening hours at UK supermarkets including Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Asda
- How to claim free items at Tesco with 'surprise' trick shoppers are just discovering
- Aldi tells shoppers the best time to shop in the lead-up to Christmas
- Hacks from home: Festive supermarket home delivery slots often fill up weeks in advance. But if you want to avoid attending the shops in person this festive season, be sure to check if there's any click & collect slots available.
- Online bargains: If you’re shopping online, check VoucherCode.co.uk’s food and drinks offers to make sure you’re getting the best price.
So be sure to visit your local supermarket this Christmas Eve (December 24) to see if you can bag yourself an "unbelievable" yellow sticker deal and save yourself a fortune this festive season.
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