A former Morrisons employee who worked at the supermarket for three years has shared insider tips on the best times to find yellow sticker bargains. The advice, based on personal experience, highlights that shopping early in the morning or close to closing time yields the best deals, with discounts potentially reaching 75% off or more.
Best Time for Yellow Sticker Bargains
According to the former employee, the ideal time to shop for reduced items is either early in the morning or in the evening. In the morning, shoppers can find products that were reduced overnight because they are due to expire that day. For example, if a product expires on June 25, staff would take it off the shelf on June 24 and mark it down for the next morning. These items typically see a 25% discount. Damaged but safe items may also be reduced even if they don't expire the next day.
Lunchtime is generally the worst time to find deals, as most reduced items have already been snapped up in the morning or are not yet marked down enough. The former employee suggests always checking the yellow sticker section regardless of shopping list, as items like cooked meats, southern-fried chicken bites, and chicken thighs are often available. Look for packaging indicating the product is suitable for freezing to save money.
Evening Discounts and Tips
In the evening, shoppers are likely to see discounts of 75% or more, with products reduced to mere pennies. However, it's best not to shop five minutes before closing, as reduced items may have already been removed from shelves. Products past their use-by date cannot be sold, so staff remove them before closing. A safe bet is to shop one or two hours before the store closes, when staff have had time to reduce stock and clear items.
The former employee notes that supermarkets have a full day of trading and thousands of customers, so it wouldn't make sense to reduce items too early. Overall, the closer to closing time, the bigger the discounts are likely to be, as stores want to sell items rather than throw them away.
Seasonal Events and Own-Brand Products
During seasonal events like Christmas and New Year, stores may reduce items by 50% or more to clear stock before closures. Items such as beef, double cream, Christmas cards, turkey, and pigs in blankets are commonly discounted. The former employee advises making freezer space for such bargains.
While yellow stickers can be very helpful, bargains aren't always available or needed. Sticking to supermarket own-brand products can also help keep costs down, as they often taste just as good as more expensive options. The former employee recommends trying them to see what you like.
