Tesco announces change to yellow sticker deals

Tesco has announced it will introduce revamped yellow sticker deal signages to 300 stores, after the British retailer trialled a new way to display “reduced to clear” items last winter.

Tesco created a designated area with new signs to display discounted products, marked by yellow stickers, last October after a survey found customers were more likely to reduced items if the section was visually appealing.

The change was first implemented at Tesco’s Hatfield Extra store in Hertfordshire.

The new signs read “Reduced in price. Just as nice.” directing shoppers to products that were marked down because they were either nearing their expiry-date or had been discontinued.

Previously, these grocery items, including salads, meat, and bread, were kept on unmarked shelves at certain times during the day.

After a successful trial in 100 stores, Tesco will introduce these sections in 300 more branches, the company announced on Tuesday, with plans to roll it out to even more shops in the country.

“At Tesco, we have no time for food waste and we do everything we can to reduce it,” the company’s group quality, technical, and sustainability director Claire Lorains said.

“Our customers are always on the lookout for great value food, and our rebranded ‘reduced in price, just as nice’ signage makes it easier than ever to spot a short-dated and top-quality bargain”, she added.

Explaining the decision to consolidate all yellow-stickered goods in one, prominently displayed section, Tesco chief customer officer Alessandra Bellini had earlier said: “We want customers to spend less at Tesco, and our ‘reduced in price’ sections in stores now offer the reassurance that these products are just as nice and are another reminder there’s great value to be found on every aisle at Tesco.”

The revamp was introduced last year when the UK was plunged into a cost-of-living crisis, as inflation sent food prices soaring.

A YouGov poll commissioned by Tesco around the same time found that 6 per cent of shoppers were looking for markdowns in store, with 33 per cent of customers seeking these reductions more frequently.

Of those who watch for yellow sticker reductions, 71 per cent said they were a cheaper option when they want to eat the food straight away and 51% said it was a cost-effective way to stock up the freezer.

Meat products are the most popular reduced item, followed by ready meals, vegetables and desserts.

Additional reporting by agencies