We can't get enough yellow sticker bargains in the cost of living crisis, with nearly half of shoppers saying they are buying discounted food to help save money.

Knowing when to look for bargains is an art as many stores don't follow a set schedule and times can differ to reflect closing times and the local ebb and flow of customers, but a survey by Barclays found that 40% of people are managing to hunt down and buy discounted products which are near the end of their best before or use by date.

December is the busiest month for supermarkets as families stock up on festive treats to make Christmas special. Last year, grocery sales reached more than £31.7b on the build-up to the big day - the busiest month on record - and experts reckon the record will be smashed again this year.

If you need to shave some money off your grocery budget, you’ll usually find a reduced section in larger supermarkets and some convenience stores, with products emblazoned with yellow - or red in Aldi - stickers. These tend to be items that are nearing the end of their shelf life, but sometimes shops reduce items they need to clear off the shelves for other reasons, such as the line is being discontinued or is not selling well. Whatever the reason, these reductions can make the products considerably cheaper than they would have been otherwise.

If you're on the lookout for savings, Britsuperstore has issued some guidance to when you might expect to strike lucky

    Tesco

    • Reduction times: Tesco offers the first round 9-10am, second round 4-5pm, final round 7pm

    Sainsbury's

    ASDA

    • Reduction times: Asda cuts prices early in the day and again at 7pm

    Aldi

    • Reduction times: Before 8am and before closing time

    Lidl

    • Reduction times: Early morning and before closing time at Lidl

    Morrisons

    • Reduction times: Can start from late morning at Morrisons, but typically reduced at around 5pm, and again at around 8pm

    The Co-op

    • Reduction times: Co-op reduces between 6-8pm

    M&S

    • Reduction times: Prices fall between 2pm and 4pm at M&S

    Waitrose

    • Reduction times: 2 hours before closing time

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