Last reviewed: 24 October 2026
Looking for simple ways to reduce your weekly grocery bill?
One money-saving opportunity worth exploring is supermarket yellow-sticker shopping. Many UK supermarkets reduce the prices of certain groceries as they approach their use-by or best-before dates, helping to sell food that might otherwise go to waste.
However, finding worthwhile reductions isn't always as straightforward as arriving at a supermarket just before closing time.
In this guide, we'll explain where to look, when discounts might be available and how to avoid wasting money on offers you don't need.
1. What Are Yellow-Sticker Supermarket Deals?
Yellow-sticker deals are products that supermarkets have marked down from their usual selling price.
They often include:
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Bread, pastries and other bakery products
Meat and fish
Ready meals and sandwiches
Chilled groceries and dairy products
Discounted items may be approaching their date labels, have imperfect packaging or need to be cleared from shelves.
Not all supermarkets use yellow stickers. Aldi, for example, also uses red reduction labels.
Important: A coloured sticker doesn't automatically mean an item offers good value. Always check the actual reduced price.
2. Where Can You Find Reduced Groceries?
Different supermarkets display reduced products in different locations.
Some have dedicated shelves or chilled sections for reduced-price items. Others leave discounted products alongside their regularly priced stock.
When shopping, check the bakery, refrigerated shelves, fresh produce section and any clearly marked reduced-to-clear areas.
At some Tesco stores, look for sections labelled Reduced in Price, Just as Nice.
If you can't find the reduced section, politely ask a member of staff where discounted groceries are normally displayed.
3. What Is the Best Time to Find Yellow-Sticker Deals?
There isn't one reliable discount time across all UK supermarkets.
According to supermarket information reported by consumer organisation Which?, reduction practices can differ substantially.
Tesco: Products may be marked down at different points throughout the day.
Aldi: Reductions on short-dated products may be more likely towards closing time, although availability and timing vary.
Lidl: Some reductions happen early in the morning or later in the day. Staff may also reduce products at other times.
Asda: The timing of markdowns varies between branches.
Morrisons: Reductions do not follow one fixed nationwide schedule.
Marks & Spencer: Reductions may be more likely towards the end of the trading day.
These are general patterns, not guaranteed timetables.
Practical tip: If you regularly visit the same supermarket, notice when its reduced-price products usually appear. You can also ask staff whether there is a usual time for reductions.
Avoid making a special journey unless the potential savings justify your travel costs.
4. Five Ways to Make Yellow-Sticker Shopping Worthwhile
Buy What Your Household Will Actually Use
A discounted product isn't a saving if it ends up in the bin.
Before adding something to your basket, consider whether your household will realistically eat it.
Compare the Price
Look at the reduced price alongside the price of similar products.
Sometimes a supermarket's own-brand or budget-range alternative may still be cheaper.
Comparing the price per kilogram, 100g or litre can help you judge the better deal.
Plan Meals Around What You Find
If you discover reduced vegetables, bread or other useful ingredients, consider incorporating them into meals you're already planning.
Avoid purchasing large quantities of unfamiliar items simply because they're discounted.
Think About Freezer Space
Some reduced groceries can be frozen, provided their packaging and food-safety instructions permit it.
Before buying several reduced products, make sure you have enough suitable storage space.
Check the Date and Packaging
Check the use-by or best-before date, storage requirements and packaging condition before purchasing.
If something appears damaged or has been stored incorrectly, ask a member of staff rather than assuming it is safe.
5. Understand Use-By and Best-Before Dates
This is one of the most important parts of buying reduced-price groceries.
According to official UK food-labelling guidance:
Use-by dates relate to food safety.
Food should not be eaten after its use-by date unless it was safely cooked or frozen on or before that date.
You cannot reliably tell whether food past its use-by date is safe simply by smelling or looking at it.
Best-before dates relate to food quality.
Food past its best-before date may still be suitable to eat if it has been stored correctly and remains in acceptable condition, although its quality may have declined.
Always follow the product's storage instructions.
If you freeze food before its use-by date, follow its freezing and defrosting instructions. Official guidance says that once defrosted, the food should be used within 24 hours.
For more information, read the official UK government guide to use-by and best-before dates.
6. Are Yellow-Sticker Deals Always Worth It?
Not necessarily.
Reduced prices can be useful, but your total grocery spending matters more than the number of bargains in your basket.
For example, buying discounted bakery products you don't need may increase your spending rather than reduce it.
A practical approach is to make a shopping list, check the reduced sections while you're already shopping and buy only what fits your household's needs.
Remember that discounts and availability vary between supermarkets and individual branches.
7. Your Yellow-Sticker Shopping Checklist
Before paying, ask yourself:
Is the reduced price genuinely good value?
Will my household use this food?
Have I checked the use-by or best-before date?
Can I store it safely?
Am I buying it because I need it, rather than simply because it's discounted?
If the answers make sense for your household, the reduction may be worthwhile.
8. Discover More Ways to Reduce Your Grocery Bill
Yellow-sticker shopping is just one option.
You can also explore food-sharing services, community fridges and discounted surplus food apps.
Read our related article:
How to Find Free and Reduced-Price Food in the UK: 3 Genuine Ways
Useful Sources
For further reading and up-to-date guidance:
Final Thoughts
Yellow-sticker shopping can be a useful addition to your money-saving habits, especially when you combine it with meal planning, comparing prices and reducing food waste.
The goal isn't to buy the most discounted products. It's to spend less on groceries your household actually needs.
For more practical UK money-saving guides, follow @firststepsguides on Instagram.
First Steps Guides - Spend Less. Live Smarter.