When it comes to snagging a bargain, knowing when to shop is key. Luckily, being a former Tesco worker, I know exactly when certain food items are reduced.
Having spent four years working at Tesco, I was frequently given the job of marking down fresh items to mere pennies at the end of the day. However, it’s not just Tesco that slashes prices throughout the day. Other supermarkets, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, and Morrisons, also reduce their goods’ prices. Typically, these are items nearing their best-before date or being discontinued.
Most supermarkets have a clearance section in one of their fresh aisles, which is usually clearly marked or filled with yellow-sticker items. But this can vary from store to store.
During my time at Tesco, I often saw ready meals, milk, bread, cream doughnuts, salads, sushi, and sandwiches reduced to just a few pence at the end of the day. But when is the best time of day to snag those bargains?
When does Tesco start reducing its food items?
The timing of reductions can differ from shop to shop and depends on how busy that particular store is and how many staff members are on duty that day, reports the Express.
I’ve worked in a seasonal store that’s bustling in the summer and quiet in the winter, as well as a busy central London store where you’re constantly on the go.
While we had target times for starting reductions, during busy periods, we were sometimes delayed.
If you’re unsure about when your local store applies its discounts, you can ask a member of staff in-store.
Most of the products I used to reduce were fresh goods such as milk, bread, ready meals and bags of salad, but occasionally you would discover large cuts of meat, fish and even items from the Tesco Finest range being marked down.
The majority of these products were reduced because they were approaching their use-by date that day, but that doesn’t mean you need to eat them immediately.
Many of the goods, particularly bread and milk, are perfect for freezing.
During my time at Tesco, they would conduct three rounds of reductions beginning around 9am/10am, during which some products would be marked down by 10%.
Products would then be discounted further by 30%, 50%, and occasionally even 90% at the close of business.
One of the optimal times to shop is in the evening, between 6pm and 8pm, when final markdowns are applied.
The later in the day you visit, the more likely you are to discover a bigger bargain.
However, you don’t want to leave it too late, particularly if it’s a bustling store, as you could miss out.
Earlier this year, Tesco launched a new wave of markdowns at 7pm to tackle food waste.
A Tesco spokesperson previously confirmed to Express.co.uk that whilst the discount is typically around 7pm, it can differ by store, adding: “Markdowns on fresh products continue to be popular and help to prevent good food from going to waste.”