A former Marks and Spencer bakery worker has revealed the two best times to shop for yellow sticker bargains, with early morning visits beating the traditional closing-time rush.
Katherine McPhillips, who took on a summer job in the bakery while a university student, said the final hours before closing are often too hectic for staff to mark down food, with cleaning and organising taking priority. Instead, reductions were typically carried out by overnight staff during quieter periods.
Best Times to Visit
McPhillips recommends visiting M&S first thing in the morning, ideally right when the doors open, as that tends to be when the best deals are available. Heading to the food hall at 9am on a day off is well worth considering.
If that is not possible, there are also plenty of yellow stickers to be found between 3pm and 5pm. Late afternoon is the second most fruitful time to shop, as evening staff would frequently begin their shifts by applying yellow stickers to lunchtime items such as sandwiches and bakery products.
Why Crowds Can Hurt
McPhillips noted that managers would regularly instruct staff not to put out yellow stickers if a crowd had gathered in anticipation, as this could create a chaotic situation. When large numbers of shoppers congregate waiting for yellow stickers, they can block aisles or disturb staff while they are carrying out other duties.
Yellow sticker timings can differ from one M&S store to another, so it is advisable to politely ask a member of staff when they are not busy. If reductions are spotted being applied, shoppers should give workers plenty of room to get on with their tasks.
