Paying full price is unnecessary when you know yellow-sticker bargains appear (Image: Getty)
Supermarkets have revealed what time they will reduce food prices with yellow stickers before closing for Christmas and New Year’s Day. Stores closing their doors are desperate to clear out items that won’t last until after Boxing Day. Perishable and festive-themed food need to go, and they are willing to slash prices.
When tracking down essentials for hosting friends and family, from party snacks to reindeer ears, time is often of the essence. If you spot something you want, ask a staff member if it’s likely to be marked down. If you want to be strategic instead of leaving bagging a yellow sticker bargain to chance, here are the best times to show up at the supermarket, according to Zoe Morris, savings expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk.
Read more: I visited M&S food every day this week—yellow stickers saved me lots of money
Read more: I shopped at Sainsbury’s for a week—the best time for yellow sticker items
Lidl
Lidl’s Christmas Eve yellow sticker markdowns usually happen in two waves: one early in the morning when stores open at 8am, and another in the evening before closing at 6pm.
Staff at Lidl have been known to apply extra reductions between 4pm and 5pm, just before doors close at 6pm.
Christmas Eve: Between 4-5pm
NYE: 5pm
Aldi
Aldi uses red stickers to highlight its discounted products. Red-sticker items are scattered across the store, so keep your eyes peeled. Aldi tends to mark down items by up to 75% on their final day of sale.
Aldi is also closed on New Year’s Day, meaning New Year’s Eve will be prime time to secure a bargain. Stores close at 6pm on NYE.
Christmas Eve: 5pm
NYE: 5pm
Asda
Asda’s reductions follow a three-tier system: the first in the morning, a second midday, and a final round of markdowns around 7pm. On Christmas Eve, plan your shop for 6pm to catch the best deal. Fresh fruit and veg can drop as low as 10p.
Asda is open both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, meaning discounts won’t be as heavy as stores closing to bring in the New Year.
Christmas Eve: 6pm
NYE: 6pm
Supermarkets want to get rid of festive-themed food and perishables (Image: Getty)
M&S
M&S keeps it simple but strategic, with stores reducing items about an hour before closing. On Christmas Eve, that means arriving at 3pm to snag the best bargains before stores close at 4pm.
On New Year’s Eve, stores will close at 7pm, and won’t re-open until 2nd January. This means the prime time for last-minute bargains will be 6pm.
Christmas Eve: 3pm
NYE: 6pm
Tesco
Tesco’s yellow stickers roll out in three waves – around 10am, 2pm, and 7pm.
For the biggest bargains, head to Tesco an hour before closing. Depending on your local store, the closing time on Christmas Eve will be either 6 pm or 7 pm.
Christmas Eve: Between 6-7pm
NYE: 6pm
Morrisons
Save on your party food this year (Image: Getty)
Morrisons usually applies its first reductions as soon as stores open, and saves a final further markdown for the evening. With Christmas Eve hours closing at 5pm, the best deals are likely to appear around 4pm.
Morrisons will also remain open over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, closing at 7pm on the 31st, and opening at 8am on the 1st. Check in at 6pm on NYE to grab any last-minute deals.
Christmas Eve: 4pm
NYE: 6pm
Sainsbury’s
At Sainsbury’s, yellow stickers tend to appear around 2pm and again at 6pm. With stores closing at 7pm on Christmas Eve, arriving at 6pm will give you the best chance to bag festive treats for less.
On New Year’s Eve, Sainsbury’s stores will close at 7pm (with some convenience stores open until 9pm), and re-open on New Year’s Day at 8am. To catch the last deals of 2025, drop by around 6pm.
Christmas Eve: 6pm
NYE: 6pm
