Tesco assists shoppers in locating markdown discounts that are still attractive.
mounting pressure on household budgets.
According to a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Tesco, 69% of consumers now keep an eye out for in-store markdowns, and the frugal tactic is becoming more popular with 33% of shoppers seeking these discounts more regularly.
With a facelift for its “Reduced to Clear” zones that will roll out to 100 stores by Christmas and more stores once more during 2023, Tesco’s ingenious new hack will help customers save on their weekly shop no matter when they stop into the store.
Tesco hopes the new signage will lure the 29% of people who said they would shop for discounted items more frequently if the section was made more aesthetically appealing. The new signage informs shoppers that the items are “Reduced in price – Just as lovely.”
Reduced to clear sections offer a variety of products, including end-of-season, discontinued grocery and non-food items, as well as fresh produce such as salads, meat, bread, and sweet treats that are close to expiration date and are ideal for tonight’s dinner or to store in the freezer for another day.
Tesco Chief Customer Officer Alessandra Bellini 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.
“We’ve locked the price of more than a thousand everyday staples until 2023 through our Low Everyday Prices, and we continue to price match on 100’s products in Aldi.
“We’re also helping millions of customers spend less through their Tesco Clubcard, with Clubcard Prices giving up to 50 per cent off thousands of products and helping customers collect points for money off their shopping.”
Tesco’s survey also revealed:
- Meat products prove most popular in the reduced-to-clear section followed by ready meals, vegetables and then desserts.
- Of those who tend to keep an eye out for yellow label reductions, 71 per cent said it’s a cheaper option when they want to eat the food straight away. And 51 per cent say it’s a great value way to stock up the freezer.
- Yellow sticker reductions are most popular in the east of England with 75 per cent of customers looking out for them when shopping. This is closely followed by Wales (74 per cent), and the South of England (72 per cent).
The move also plays to Tesco’s plans to halve food waste in its own operations by 2025. Tesco has already achieved a 45 per cent reduction in food waste across its own operations since 2016/17 and just 0.35 per cent of food it handled last year ended up as waste.
* The survey was commissioned by Tesco and conducted by YouGov from a sample of 2000 Tesco customers.
Tesco recently accelerated its plans to halve food waste in its own operations by 2025, five years ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (by 2030). Tesco has already achieved a 45 per cent reduction in food waste across own operations since 2016/17. However, it knows there is still more to do despite just 0.35 per cent of food it handled, last year, ending up as waste.
Tesco takes great care to accurately forecast the amount of food needed in each store, but where products are approaching their use-by or best-before dates, store colleagues can print a yellow sticker with a new price that is calculated by a computer algorithm.Tesco stores across the UK and Ireland use apps to connect stores with local organisations that can make best use of unsold surplus food. A total of over 140m meals have been donated to thousands of charities and community groups since its Community Food Connection scheme began.
Tesco has also pioneered innovative ways to help colleagues and customers save money and reduce waste, which will also remain as a key part of their plan moving forward, including:
- Giving colleagues the opportunity to take food approaching its expiry date home, for free.
- Launching a bold campaign to cut food waste at home, supporting customers to save money and cut food waste by implementing a simple weekly food hack. The Tesco ‘use up day’ campaign could save the average family £260 a year simply by cooking a meal – once a week – using up food they already have in their kitchen.
- Working with suppliers to make as much use of crops as possible. Farm Brands and Perfectly Imperfect ranges make good use of the part of the crop that previously fell outside of specifications. Special offers are utilised to help ensure bumper crop flushes result in food being eaten by customers.
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