HOUSEHOLDS should be aware of these hidden supermarket tricks that could help cut the cost of your food shopping.
The average UK household now spends a whopping £3,877 on groceries per year, according to data from Nimblefins.
Meanwhile, the average weekly food cost for the typical household is around £102, up around 5.6% from a year ago.
And conflict in the Middle East is set to add further pressure, with food prices expected to jump by 8% this summer.
Data from the Institute of Grocery Distribution said prices could more than double by the summer, adding £150 to the average household’s annual bill.
But consumers worried about price rises, should know there are ways to save.
We have shared five hidden hacks that could help you save on your next shop below.
Get the timing right
Simply knowing when supermarkets start whacking yellow labels on their festive grub can help you save a hefty sum.
These discount stickers, sometimes red or orange in colour, are put on products that have been reduced because they’re slightly damaged or near their sell-by dates.
Ricky Willis, founder of Skint Dad previously told The Sun the evening or just before closing is your best time to visit a grocer to bag a deal.
Asda shoppers have three chances to nab a bargain, with the store slashing prices in the morning, midday, and then in the evening.
Visiting one hour before close is also recommended for Sainsbury’s and Tesco shoppers looking to scoop up a bargain.
Meanwhile, he said Morrisons reduces early in the morning, then again before closing.
The blogger is a huge fan of the discounted grub, even scoring the sale section of the supermarket over Christmas to save an average of £60 on his festive shop.
However, at Lidl and Marks & Spencer the best deals are usually first thing in the morning and a few hours before closing time, according to Richard Price, grocery expert at Britsuperstore.
Steer clear of big brands
Swapping to supermarket branded products instead of big labels is another easy way to save.
When hitting the shops, pricey goods are often stacked at eye level with cheaper items underneath.
Slowing down the next time you are in a supermarket and really looking at the price of items going into your trolley could be the winning ticket to help you save.
An investigation by The Sun previously found that shoppers could spend an extra £500 a year by falling for this bottom shelf trick.
Try the 6-1 shopping method
Simplifying your food shop and stripping it back to basics can really help you save at the till.
We recently tried the 6-1 shopping method and found it could save you over £1,000 a year.
This is a hack that American chef Will Coleman raves about on TikTok, and it’s slowly making it’s way over the pond to shoppers here.
‘I got £15 free shopping by ordering online and it was so easy’
The Sun’s senior consumer reporter Blathnaid Corless shares how doing her grocery shop online has helped save serious cash.
You can read more of her top tips here.
Supermarkets regularly offer discounts and vouchers exclusively for online orders.
Some also offer money off for new customers to try and attract more shoppers.
Not only can this save you even more on your groceries, it’s also a good reason to try out different supermarket deliveries to see which you prefer.
For example, I recently got £15 off my Morrisons online delivery through my Amazon Prime account.
Ocado also offers 25% off your first order and three months of unlimited free deliveries.
To find these, you can check supermarket websites and sign up to their email lists for exclusive offers.
You can also use websites like VoucherCodes or moneysavingexpert.com, which regularly post the latest deals.
I also find it incredibly easy to use my loyalty cards when I’m shopping online.
I often get my groceries delivered from Sainsbury’s, and I’ve linked my Nectar card to my online account so I automatically get points when I shop.
My discounted “Nectar prices” also automatically appear when I’m shopping, so I can easily compare prices and I know exactly how much I’m saving.
It involves buying six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces/spreads, and one treat to create a week’s worth of meals.
The idea is that by sticking to this rule, you won’t be tempted to overspend on food and goodies you don’t need.
But be prepared to eat lots of leftovers and make the most of what is in your fridge.
Shop with giftcards
Another way to save on your supermarket shop is by purchasing supermarket gift cards through cashback apps.
Cash back, which is offered by banks, credit cards, and retailers, allows you to earn money back on your purchases.
For example, Cheddar is an instant cashback app that gives customers up to 5% back when customers buy supermarket vouchers via the site.
How much cashback can vary from retailer to retailer, but customers can get up to 5% back when they buy a voucher for Tesco.
A family of four who spends £121 a week on groceries at the supermarket would get £6.05 cashback each week adding up to £314.60 over a year.
But is always worth reading the terms and conditions to make sure this works for you.
It is also worth noting you are not protected if the business goes bust, so you should be cautious about buying loads in advance.
Head to the world food aisle
Essentials such as chopped tomatoes and noodles can be cheaper if you shop them in the world food aisle.
This section is often tucked away at the back of the store, or far away from the tills, and stocks food from around the globe.
The Sun has found that shoppers can save well over a £1 on certain items such as garlic paste by browsing this section.
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Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
