Aldi reveals new bargain hour where food is slashed by 75%

ALDI is launching a new bargain hour where food is slashed by 75%.

The supermarket says it will reduce the price of perishable fresh food – including meat, bread, fruit and vegetables – just before stores close.

Aldi's new bargain hour will help shoppers get up to 75% off food — Aldi’s new bargain hour will help shoppers get up to 75% off food Credit: Getty Images – Getty

The specific timings on when the bargain hour starts in your local branch will depend on when it closes.

As it is understood this means reductions will happen in the hour before closing time.

For example, the majority of Aldi stores close at 10pm so you’ll want to start browsing from 9pm.

Aldi says it will select items based on those which are “on their last day of life” and these will be marked with red stickers.

The promotion won’t replace Aldi’s current policy, which is to slash prices of products nearing their best-before date by 30%.

This is usually done after stores close, meaning shoppers previously had to visit shops as soon as they opened to get red sticker bargains.

Instead items will be reduced to 75% after they’ve been reduced to 30%, usually on the the day before their use-by day.

A use-by date indicates when a product may no longer be safe to eat, while best before suggests when food might start to reduce in quality.

Most products can be frozen before their use-by date, which you’ll then be able to defrost and use at a later time.

But be sure to read the label properly to make sure the item can be frozen. You also shouldn’t freeze something after its sell-by date.

The stickers look exactly the same as before but instead have “75% off” in bold text.

The new bargain hour is being rolled out to stores next week but it has already been trialled in branches in Swindon and Cardiff.

All discounted items are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

How to cut the cost of your grocery shop

MONEY.CO.UK has shared some top tips with us to help you keep your supermarket spend down to a minimum.

Write yourself a list – Only buy items that you need. If it isn’t on your list, don’t put it in the trolley
Create a budget – Work out a weekly budget for your food shopping
Never shop hungry – You are far more likely to buy more food if your tummy is rumbling
Don’t buy pre-chopped veggies or fruit – The extra they’ll charge for chopping can be eye watering
Use social media – Follow your favourite retailers to find out about the latest deals
Be disloyal – You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains
Check the small print – It’s always worth checking the price per kg/lb/litre when comparing offers so you’re making a like for like decision as a bigger box won’t necessarily mean you get more
Use your loyalty cards – Don’t be afraid to sign up to them all. They all work slightly differently – work out what bonus suits you better and remember to trade in your points for additional rewards

Aldi says the move will help the supermarket works towards a target of halving food waste by 2030.

You can find your nearest Aldi by using its store finder tool – but remember that shoppers are being asked only to visit for essential reasons.

Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi, said: “Aldi is already known for its low prices, but these discounts will help some shoppers to cut their grocery bills even further – all while helping us reduce food waste.

“Customers should look out for the red stickers when shopping at Aldi, but shoppers need to be quick as I’m sure the products will prove popular.”