MAJOR supermarkets will cut the price of hundreds of Christmas essentials today, which could save you a fortune if you still need to head to the shops.
If you visit at the right time you could bag your entire Christmas dinner for a fraction of the price.
Here we reveal the exact time to visit every major supermarket to get the biggest discount.
Aldi has dropped the price of more than 100 products by an average of 35% today.
Shoppers can save on chocolate, mince pies, sweet treats and stocking fillers.
The price of a Cadbury Small Selection Box has fallen from 99p to 69p.
A pack of six Specially Selected Mince Pies now costs 99p, down from £1.69.
Meanwhile, a Specially Selected Yule Log can be picked up for £3.49, saving you £1.50.
The deals are only available while stocks last, so head to the supermarket to stock up as soon as possible.
Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “We stand by our promise to keep our prices as low as possible for customers and what better time to cut prices than just before the festive season.”
Typically, Aldi uses a two-tier system for price reductions.
It usually cuts prices first thing in the morning from around 8am then makes another round of cuts later in the evening.
Head there by 5pm to get the best deals before the shop closes at 6pm.
Keep an eye out for red stickers as these are used by the supermarket instead of yellow ones.
Anita Naik, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “Red-sticker items are scattered across the store, so keep your eyes peeled.
“From meat to packaged goods, Aldi tends to mark down items by up to 75% on their final day of sale.”
Here Anita Naik, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk, shares her tips to bag a bargain today.
At Asda, the discounts will vary depending on which store you visit.
On Christmas Eve items usually begin to be marked down in the early afternoon.
The amount of extra stock will vary from store to store but the supermarket will donate surplus items to charity.
The rest will be given away to customers and staff for free so no food goes to waste.
Asda usually operates a three-tier system, according to VoucherCodes.co.uk.
The first reductions are made in the morning, the second at around midday and a final round at about 7pm.
Visit the shop at around 6pm today to get the best deals, especially on fruit and veg, which can drop to just pennies.
Lidl usually marks down products twice a day: in the early morning when the store opens at 8am and in the evening just before closing.
For the best discounts visit today at around 5pm.
Anita Naik said: “Staff at Lidl have been known to apply extra reductions between 4pm and 5pm, just before doors close at 6pm.”
Morrisons usually makes its first round of reductions as soon as its stores open.
It saves final markdowns for the evening.
Stores are set to close at 4pm today, which means the best deals are likely to pop up at around 3pm.
M&S typically reduces items around an hour before closing.
On Christmas Eve this means getting to the store at 3pm to bag the best bargains before it closes at 4pm.
Anita Naik recommends: “If you can’t make it earlier, some M&S stores often apply last-minute reductions in the final 30 minutes before closing time.
“If you’re willing to risk it all, here is where you’ll find the mega bargains.”
At Sainsbury’s yellow stickers appear at around 2pm and again at 6pm.
Stores will close at 7pm today, which means you will have the best chance to bag festive treats for less if you arrive at 6pm.
According to VoucherCodes.co.uk, Tesco usually rolls out its yellow stickers in three waves – around 10am, 2pm and 7pm.
Head to Tesco an hour before closing to get the biggest bargains.
Depending on your local shop, this will be 6pm or 7pm today.
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
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