Shoppers are only just realising what the letters on yellow reduced stickers at supermarkets mean, offering a deeper insight into how these discounts work. The yellow stickers, a familiar sight in many grocery stores, allow customers to purchase products at significantly lower prices, often because items are nearing their sell-by date or have damaged packaging.
The Meaning Behind the Letters
Curiosity about the small letters in circles next to reduced prices, particularly at Sainsbury's, led one Reddit user to ask in the R/Sainsburys community. The user shared an image of Alpro Vanilla Yoghurts reduced from £1.45 to 57p, featuring a letter 'E' in a circle on the sticker. The post queried: "What's this 'E' on yellow label? Item wasn't out of date."
A reply from a supermarket employee clarified that these letters help staff identify the reason for the reduction at a glance. 'E' stands for expiry, meaning the item will soon go out of date, while 'D' denotes damage, such as dented or ripped packaging, or missing parts of a multipack.
History and Benefits of Yellow Stickers
Yellow stickers were first introduced by Sainsbury's in 1993 and have since become a popular feature for bargain hunters. They not only benefit shoppers by offering deals but also assist employees and tills in easily recognising discounted items.
For the best bargains, reductions often occur a couple of hours before closing time, and in some supermarkets, twice daily—once in the morning and again in the evening. So, next time you shop, keep an eye out for those yellow stickers and the letters that explain why the price has dropped.
