Food shopping is one of the biggest household expenses for many Britons and has increased steadily over the years.

The latest Office of National Statistics data finds that overall inflation has increased marginally to 2.2 percent (Consumer Price Index) from 12 months to July 2024.

But one savvy shopper has found a way to beat food price hikes by changing how she navigates the supermarket.

Donna West, 57, is hooked on yellow sticker shopping and hunts for items with yellow stickers a few times a week, securing bargains such as a whole pack of fresh chicken breasts for just £1.45.

Donna says she can’t work due to long-term illness and told the money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “I found yellow stickers one day when doing my normal shop.

“I then saw the yellow sticker reductions. I saw pieces of beef reduced from £15 to £4.50, so I took two. I also got a birthday cake discount of £11.50 to £1.50, which was amazing.

“I’d gone to Morrisons one day, roughly at 5pm and I noticed people standing around, then a tray of food items coming out reduced and people taking from it.”

“I got some great reductions, and that was it – I was hooked on the amazing savings. I’ve lost count of how much I’ve saved over time – my last count for the year was over £500!”

Since discovering the world of reduced supermarket food, Donna has developed a keen eye for bargains. In other “amazing hauls,” the Middlesborough resident has secured enough food to feed the whole family.

She told of a simple beef joint sold in Morrisons that was reduced from £23.50 to £3.50, which she said was “big enough to cut in half for two meals”.

Donna’s savviness means nothing goes to waste, as she freezes many items to ensure they are still useable beyond their expiry date. 

The Morrisons fan explained: “I’ve saved lots doing yellow stickers, and these days, it’s the way to go. I freeze most of my hauls and things like eggs I use in baking cakes or pies.

“I bulk cook and freeze it, too. I’ve made meals like a chicken casserole and worked out I’d spent £1.45 on all the ingredients, including the chicken fillets!”

Different stores will start reducing prices at different times, but it should be easy to work out when local shops discount their stock. According to Donna, her local Morrisons starts their big reductions at 5pm daily and at 2pm on Sunday.

As for grabbing the best deal, the yellow-label fanatic suggested asking staff nicely when they reduce food so you can get in there quickly.

She also urged shoppers to disregard sell-by dates as long as they can freeze the food by the last date shown on the packaging.

The benefits of reduced supermarket food go beyond saving money. Yellow sticker shopping also saves time, as you’re not up and down the aisles but in one place in the store.

“There may be a few people pushing and grabbing, but you can still get good deals”, said Donna.