A Tesco shopper revealed how she managed to get nearly £13 worth of yellow stickered groceries for absolutely nothing.
The yellow sticker labels can be found across various supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons.
They’re used to discount foods that are approaching their sell -by dates in a bid to reduce food waste.
READ MORE: Warning for anyone who withdraws money at cash machines
While the timing of the price reductions varies between supermarkets, one savvy shopper has shared her top tips for those looking for a bargain, as reported by the Express.
Laura Gaga, a civil servant from London, has shared her bargains on Instagram and explained to LatestDeals.co.uk how she managed to pick up free groceries from Tesco.
She explained: “I like to eat well or less and avoid food waste where possible, so I am always on the lookout for discounted and free groceries.
“Recently I was able to save money with a decent haul from the food sharing app, Olio.
“The food waste hero was a volunteer who collected the surplus food from Tesco and distributed it on the app.”
The app, which is free to download, can be found on Android and Apple devices.
Customers then need to sign up with their email address or connect the app to their Facebook account.
They can then browse free goodies from stores nearby and select whichever item they want for free.
App users can then request it and arrange a pickup, this is done so via volunteers rather than from the retailer itself.
Laura added: “All of the food I got was marked down with a yellow sticker, but I got it all for free. I got plenty of vegetables - butternut squash, a root vegetable medley, a swede and two bags of parsnips.
“The butternut squash was £1.15 but Tesco has reduced it to 29p and it was free of charge for me. The medley was original £1.15 but it had been reduced to 29p and I paid nothing.”
She also managed to pick up three tubs of salsa, onion hummus as well as soya Greek yoghurt.
Laura added: “Each salsa tub was £1.20 originally, reduced to 30p each and then free for me. As for the hummus, the same reduction was in place.
“I requested everything I wanted, then set off when the food waste hero confirmed it was ready to collect.
“It only took 10 minutes to drive there so it was really easy.
“I saved £12.75 overall and, more importantly, I saved good food from being binned. The vegetables will last me a good few days, if not the week.”
For those looking to save money on groceries, the savvy shopper recommends downloading food waste apps like Olio and Too Good To Go as well as Karma.
She went on: “Familiarise yourself with your local stores and the times that they reduce their items. Shop with an open mind - be prepared to experiment with new foods, try new recipes, and be creative with what you have.”
Laura regularly shares her bargains on Instagram with a recent haul sharing her other affordable finds.
One haul featured items such as a 600g punnet of strawberries reduced to 75p, a Parisian baguette for just 19p and a bag of baby tomatoes for 30p.
Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk said: “Laura’s zero-waste lifestyle will no doubt be an inspiration to many. It’s always a pleasure to meet a fellow yellow sticker bargain hunter and to learn more about apps that help people save money on food essentials.
“Olio is an easy app to use. Sign up for a new account using your email address and confirm your location. Browse food items (and the non-food category!) for anything which appeals, and once you’ve found something you like, click on the listing to request it.
“Just remember to stay respectful and communicative, telling the list holder what time you can collect and get in touch if you’re running late.”
Have you used the app? Let us know in our comment section below.
.png?w=600)
