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If the price of your weekly food shop just keeps going up, you’re not imagining things as inflation has risen to its highest level in 18 months, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The most recent figures show that inflation rose again in July to 3.5 per cent, pushed by higher food prices and travel costs.
The price of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 4.9 per cent year on year last month, with items like beef, orange juice, coffee and chocolate rising the most steeply.
As a result, households will undoubtedly be looking for as many ways to save on the weekly food shop as possible.
Thankfully, consumer champions like Which? and MoneySavingExpert, as well as savvy shoppers sharing their top tips on TikTok are here to help us spend a little less.
From exactly when to look for cheaper yellow sticker items in supermarkets, to the top apps that can help you get the most value for money, here are X ways to shop smart.
The exact times you’ll find yellow sticker discounts
Yellow sticker items are the holy grail for bargain hunters, as these are perishable goods sold at significantly lower prices to clear the shelves before they expire.
The cost of groceries has risen as inflation increased to its highest level in 18 months in July, leaving households worried about the cost of their groceries. Stock image used
Seeking out yellow sticker items can be a good way to save some money, with an expert revealing the best times to find them. Stock image used
According to Richard Price, a Grocery Expert at BritSuperstore, most major supermarkets follow a two-stage discount strategy for perishable goods.
The first stage is a wave at discounts that typically take place in the morning.
This is followed by a larger reduction of prices in the evening, just before the store closes.
The morning discounts usually range from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, but it’s the evening discounts that can really help you save money, as they can reach up to 90 per cent, especially for items that are close to their expiry date.
This means shoppers can often get a good discount on fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish items, and deli items like ham.
With some careful planning, such as meal prepping soon after buying the yellow sticker items or freezing certain products to extend their shelf life, you’ll be able to make the most of your basket.
Take advantage of new customer delivery offers
If shopping for your groceries online is more appealing, MSE recommends looking at new customer offers from supermarkets and delivery services to see if you can take advantage of them.
Keep in mind that these offers fluctuate and aren’t always available, but there’s no reason to stick to the same supermarket for every food shop so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find a discount if you’re a new customer.
For example, until August 31 2025, shoppers can get a code for £13 off their first shop of £105 or more via the deals site VoucherCodes.
Another first-time customer offer that expires in August comes from Morrisons, who are offering £15 off your first online grocery shop when you spend over £60. This offer ends on August 25 2025.
Elsewhere, Ocado, which delivers food from M&S, offers 25 per cent off your first £60 shop, with a maximum saving of £20. New customers also get three months of unlimited free deliveries.
Buy ‘wonky’ or surplus fruit and vegetables
Supermarkets like Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s offer fruit and vegetable schemes that benefit both them and customers.
In some cases, the produce might not look quite as uniform as others, with an irregular shape or appearance – but are still perfectly good to eat.
These ‘wonky’ fruits and vegetables are often sold for cheaper.
Fruits and vegetables that are irregular in appearance are sometimes labelled ‘wonky’ but are still perfectly good to eat and can be even cheaper. Stock image used
At Waitrose, they are labelled as ‘wonky’ and are usually a few pence less than they would be if they met the standard requirements.
In 2017, Morrisons launched a ‘wonky veg box’ that cost just £3 for an abundant fresh produce box.
But while the supermarket no longer offers food boxes, it still sells wonky fruit and vegetables, including staples like potatoes, carrots, courgettes, apples, berries, and peppers.
Sainsbury’s rolled out its £2 surplus fruit and vegetable boxes in 2023, which have proven very popular.
The box is filled with loose fruit and vegetables that might otherwise have gone to waste.
Keep an eye out for vouchers, coupons and cashback
Sites like MSE and VoucherCodes, as well as cashback services like Shopmium often have vouchers and coupons that you can use to slash a few pounds off your food shop.
It’s worth checking these sites every now and then to see if you can get a discount on the regular items you buy, or on one-off products you’d like to try for less money.
For example, shoppers can get £15 off their first three Amazon Fresh orders over £70 on Amazon, or 25 per cent off selected Napolina Olive Oil orders at Tesco using VoucherCodes.
You can also get discounts on products through the Shopmium app, which often has offers on snacks and drinks, pet food, personal care products and more.
By buying eligible products in-store or online and later uploading your receipt you can accumulate cashback. Once you reach the £10 threshold, you can withdraw your cashback.
Use Too Good To Go to find cheaper groceries
The Too Good To Go app is a boon for conscientious shoppers who want to reduce food waste as well as save money.
It has become popular among TikTokers, many of whom often post their ‘hauls’ after buying ‘Surprise Bags’ from participating supermarkets like Morrisons, Aldi and Costcutter.
The Surprise Bags usually cost around £4, but some can be as little as £2.99.
While you won’t get to choose what goes in them, many people find they have a good variety of fresh products as well as items with longer shelf lives.
However, you may also find yourself with an entire bag of baked goods or more Christmas cheese than you’d know what to do with, so it’s really dealer’s choice when it comes to purchasing through the Too Good To go app.
The Too Good To Go app has become a favourite of savvy TikTokers, who share the contents of their Surprise Bags in videos online. Stock image used
TikTok user Jo shared the groceries she received in a £2.99 Surprise Bag from Morrisons, which included two baguettes, which were broken but still good to eat; pretzels and muffins; hot cross buns; cookies; and two loaves of bread.
It’s not just supermarkets on the app – users can also pick up bags from restaurants and high street coffee chains, including Pret A Manger, LEON, Gregg’s, Pizza Express, and more, for less than £5.
Use price comparison tools to find the cheapest deal
Comparing the prices of individual products at different supermarkets can be a faff, but a handy – and free! – comparison tool like Trolley can help you make the best decision.
The app allows you to compare items between major supermarkets, including Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Co-op, Boots, and Wilko.
You can also set alerts for when prices drop on your favourite or frequently bought items.
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