When do supermarkets reduce fresh products/meat?

[VampireTheBuffetSlayer]

I used to go to the supermarket after work and usually managed to find a few bits of reduced meat to go in the freezer or veg. Then a supermarket opened by where I work and they reduced meat at lunch time so I would stock up then. Since lockdown and wfh I've been going to the supermarket after work again and they never have anything reduced, but it is later than I would usually go.
Boring question I know, but is there a set time supermarkets reduce stuff? I'd like to know the best time to shop!

I guess it depends on the area. Where I am M&S & Tesco are usually at about 9/10am, sainsbos is around 6/7m.

Think it depends on when they get a lot of their deliveries. We found that M&S “Dine in” type meals were more widely marketed for weekend meals, so had Tuesday BBE dates, so were always reduced on Tuesday in our old local store

And that was after work time, around 6pm

Our local Morrison’s, around 5/6pm, although I’ve been midday before and there were reducing a load of meat so I’m guessing they wee overstocked and just needed to be rid asap. Our local Tesco is appalling, doesn’t matter what time of the day it is, things are only ever reduced by. Few pence, maybe a pound for more expensive items, there is never anything cheap on there. I have concluded they let it sit there and see what people buy, then at store close its offered to staff heavily discounted, or thrown. Think its a disgraceful waste. It only ever seems to be food items as I’ve seen homewares reduced heavily on occasions.

Morrison’s do a lot for the towns community fridge and during lockdown etc and yet Tesco’s have not done anything at all.

@makingmiracles our local Tesco extra store definitely reduce everything down to about 88p for ready meals , about 30p for daft stuff like pots of rice , sausage rolls etc , the most I’ve ever paid was about £1.75 for a £7 piece of salmon . When I was in yesterday I heard the woman say it would be another 10 mins til she could move the barriers @ 7pm . It’s all hit and miss but there’s usually quite a few plant bases ready meals . Some days you can get loads of stuff other days it’s not worth waiting . I would say Tesco is usually about 6.45-7.15 people usually just wait around for it .

They usually reduce them in stages through the day. Off the top of my head, it's 10/12 am, then cheaper at 4pm, and final reductions at around 8pm (depending on closing time). I find 4pm onwards best for yellow stickers, though of course there might be nothing left by then.

When I worked at waitrose items would have 10-20% knocked off in the mornings, usually about 9am after the mornings deliveries had been dealt with. Another 20% at 3pm and more later say 6/7pm if there was anything left

We have a big Sainsburys. It used to reduce at 6:30/7pm after the post-work rush, but they stopped doing a “reduction” time in January last year and now just reduce things through the day, as a “fairer” way to manage reductions and make sure everyone has the opportunity to get some.

The ASDA here now does the same, since lockdown. They used to be infamous for people waiting for reductions and getting hostile over them 🙈

It varies from store to store. The best thing to do is ask someone who works there in that department.

Our local, big, 24-hour Tesco does final reductions at 7pm, everything gets reduced by at least 75%. I tend to go once a fortnight as I shop then for my grandparents anyway & I pick up most of the meat I need for the fortnight, a lot of the bread & baked goods & a lot of fruit & veg. I have 3 Dses so we get through a lot of food .

They always have lots of stuff, particularly on a Friday when I go. This time I picked up a couple of whole, large chickens for £1.25 each, a pork roasting joint for similar amount, large packs of steak mince for about 80p, loaves of bread for 30p, a big cake for £2 etc. Not much fruit & veg this time around but usually lots.

It used to be a bit of a free-for-all, but this Tesco now has a system where you they put all the reduced trolleys in one bit & you have to queue for it. A member of staff supervises & anybody pushing in gets sent to the back. Most people are regulars & chat to each other nicely. They do arrive early & start queuing from about 6.30pm for goods to be brought out at 7pm. It's well worth the wait though, as you can get shopping for 25% of the price. We have struggled a lot financially & this has been a lifesaver for us.

I've been in our local Waitrose a few times in the morning around 10-10.30 recently and they often have reduced items then. I think Sainsburys and Morrisons seem to be later on.

I have two M&S foodhall in striking distance. One (in a town) yellow labels in the evening. The other (a retail park) in the morning.