Shoppers looking to save money at M&S have been given a tip on the best time to find yellow sticker reductions. According to savings expert Jordon Cox, known as Britain's Coupon King, the discounts are applied overnight, making first thing in the morning the ideal time to shop.
Many shoppers assume that yellow stickers go on late in the day before closing, but Cox says that is the worst possible time. Instead, the reductions are put out by overnight staff, so arriving at store opening around 9am gives customers first pick of the bargains.
Fresh bakery items different
Cox noted that the same rule does not apply to freshly baked goods like doughnuts and bread rolls. Those items are reduced in the afternoon, typically around 4pm, because they cannot be restocked the next day. This helps sell remaining stock and cut food waste.
In a social media post, Cox explained: "Yellow stickers - the holy grail at M&S Food - tend to get put out overnight by overnight staff. That means, if you go to an M&S first thing in the morning (9am), you'd often have first dibs on the reductions! Items are further discounted around 4-6pm, but it may be a smaller selection (if the good stuff has been snapped up)."
Shoppers share experiences
Comments on the post were mixed. One shopper said: "The best discounts are 4 or 4.30pm. I accidentally had to keep going in there late in the day, and turns out it's the best time." Another added: "I've started to go Saturday mornings and just last week saved £15!" A third remarked: "I find 5pm is usually good for my store to get reductions, but I disagree about the fresh bakery; they never ever reduce the price of any of the bakery items! I've been late before closing several times, and never any reductions on the doughnuts!"
While some find better discounts later, Cox maintains that going first thing remains the safest bet for the best selection.
