Going to the supermarket on Christmas Eve can be a stressful experience, as hordes of shoppers clamour for the last remaining essentials.
However, one positive if you’re planning to brave the queues is the potential to snag yellow sticker bargains and cut the cost of your festive feast.
These marked-down items are typically due to come off sale or nearing their best before date, so the day before Christmas is a veritable treasure trove of cheap deals.
You can’t bank on getting specific items, but there’s a good chance various seasonal goodies will be reduced to clear — and you can always freeze anything you aren’t going to eat on the big day.
One way to give yourself the best chance of snagging a deal is by timing your shop carefully based on when staff usually head out with the pricing guns.
To save you the guesswork, Zoe Morris at VoucherCodes.co.uk, has shared when you’re most likely to find those coveted yellow stickers this Christmas Eve at Lidl, Aldi, Asda, M&S, Tesco, Morrisons, and Sainsbury’s.
Lidl
According to Zoe, Lidl’s December 24 markdowns usually happen in two waves: one early in the morning when stores open at 8am, and another in the evening before closing at 6pm.
For the best discounts, she recommends planning your visit around 5pm, as ‘staff at Lidl have been known to apply extra reductions between 4pm and 5pm, just before doors close.’
Aldi
It’s a similar story at Aldi, which is known to drop its red stickers (not yellow like other supermarkets) first thing in the morning – from 8am – and again later in the evening.
‘Head there by 5pm on Christmas Eve for the best bargains before stores close at 6pm,’ says Zoe.
There are some big savings to be made, since Aldi tends to reduce items by up to 75% on their final day of sale, but Zoe warns: ‘Red-sticker items are scattered across the store, so keep your eyes peeled.’
Asda
Zoe says: ‘Asda’s reductions follow a three-tier system: the first in the morning, a second midday, and a final round of markdowns around 7pm.’
If you can wait that long, a Christmas Eve Asda shop at 6pm will yield the best deals — with fresh fruit and veg seeing the biggest drops, often as low as 10p.
M&S
‘M&S keeps it simple but strategic, with stores reducing items about an hour before closing,’ says Zoe. ‘On Christmas Eve, that means arriving at 3pm to snag the best bargains before stores close at 4pm.’
In the final half hour before the end of the day, shoppers claim supermarket staff sometimes mark down previously-stickered products even more to shift them, so ‘if you’re willing to risk it all, here is when you’ll find the mega bargains.’
Tesco
According to Zoe’s research, Tesco’s yellow stickers normally roll out in three waves – around 10am, 2pm, and 7pm – although this will likely be an hour or so earlier on December 24 due to festive opening times.
‘For the biggest bargains, head to Tesco an hour before closing,’ she explains. ‘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.
So with branches closing at 5pm on Christmas Eve, Zoe says the best deals ‘are likely to pop up around 4pm.’
That said, Finance blogger Fiona Hawkes – who has written extensively on yellow sticker shopping – told Metro she’s ‘seen 90% off yellow stickers at 8.30am in Morrisons, so it really does depend on your local store.’
Sainsbury’s
At Sainsbury’s, yellow stickers tend to appear around 2pm and again at 6pm.
With stores closing at 7pm on Christmas Eve, Zoe recommends arriving at 6pm to get hold of those last-minute buys.
Zoe’s festive foodie money-saving tips
The shopping expert has some advice when it comes to savvy shopping over the festive period:
- Stock up and freeze: Many festive items, like meats, breads, hard cheeses, and even desserts, can be frozen for later use. This way, you’ll 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.
- Ask for further reductions: If you spot something you want, don’t hesitate to ask a staff member if it’s likely to be marked down again soon.
- Skip the stigma: Remember, 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 – so don’t be afraid to get your bargain hunting boots out and fill your basket if you find worthwhile deals!
- Seasonal specials: Look out for markdowns on Christmas-specific items like turkeys, party platters, and festive sweets. These often carry the biggest discounts on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve – alongside fresh foods like fruit, veg, and dairy.
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