KEEPING an eye out for secret codes and mystery labels on supermarket shelves could save you money on your Christmas food shop.
Many of us will be feeling the pinch this festive season as food and energy prices continue to inch up.
Families are expected to spend a whopping £138.89 on Christmas food this year, according to MoneySupermarket.
But you may be able to save on your shop by knowing how to decode labels in the grocery aisles.
Read on to find out all the supermarket codes that could save you money on your Christmas food shop.
Crack the Tesco code
Hidden on Tesco shelf labels is a clever code that can make sure you never miss out on a deal or bargain.
The six-digit code in the bottom left corner of the price tag reveals when an offer will finish in stores.
The last two digits tell you the day, the middle two are the month and the first two show the year when a deal expires.
That lets you know when to stock up on your favourite sweet treats and cupboard essentials to see you through the festive season.
Typically supermarkets offer the best deals on family favourites including Quality Street and Terry’s Chocolate Orange around a month before Christmas.
But these deals often disappear the closer to the big day you get.
Check the shelf labels when completing your shop to avoid missing out.
Know your Nectar prices
Sainsbury’s also has a clever hack that will tell you when a Nectar Price offer started.
The date on the bottom right corner of the shelf price tag tells you when a Nectar Price deal started.
The deals typically last around two or three weeks and expire or rotate on a Tuesday.
So if the date listed is from a few weeks ago then you need to be quick and stock up now before the price rises.
Aldi discontinued letter
In the run up to Christmas there’s nothing more disappointing than your favourite festive item being discontinued.
But a secret Aldi code hidden on the label lets you know when products will be pulled from the shelves forever.
The code can be found on the top right of the supermarket’s price tag.
If the tag has a capital letter “D” in the top right corner, it means the item is going to be discontinued.
So if you need to snap up certain items before Christmas then you know you need to be quick.
Keep veg fresh this festive season
Most of the major supermarkets have axed best before dates on their fruit and vegetables, which can make it hard to know how long the produce will last.
This can be particularly frustrating around Christmas, when you might do one big shop to last you ten days.
But when you look a little closer at the fruit and vegetable stickers, you may be able to spot some letters and numbers on them.
These are actually secret codes and knowing what they mean can make your food last longer.
The codes represent a freshness date, so they can tell you which items were most recently harvested.
In Tesco and Asda, the letter represents the month and the number is the date.
The letter correlates to the month, so A means January, B February and so on.
As we’re in December, the letter would be L.
But in Sainsbury’s the freshness date is hidden between a J and an S.
The numbers in between tell you the day and month as DDMM.
Morrisons uses the first letter to show the month, followed by the day as a number.
So N is for November and D is for December.
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Laura McGuire reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
