Four key dates to visit and avoid the supermarket for the Christmas food shop
Four key dates to visit and avoid the supermarket for the Christmas food shop - Daily RecordLifestyleFood & DrinkChristmas shoppingThese are the best dates to add to the calendar for visiting the supermarket this December(Image: Getty Images )What to know about when to visit and avoid supermarkets this ChristmasExperts at Vouchercodes.co.uk have revealed how Christmas shoppers can beat the rush and get in the food shop for less this December. Savings Expert Zoe Morris has advised that shoppers "don't gamble" by leaving it until last minute, as planning ahead can prevent "panic buying" when the shops are busy and shelves looking bare.The overall best time to get in the 'big' Christmas food shop at the supermarket is Tuesday, December 16. Insider data reveals that this date is the best to get in all the essentials as footfall will be low, with shelves being stocked with plenty of produce, both which help to make the food shop relatively stress-free.Anyone who gets their shopping online will find that the best date is Wednesday, December 17 this year. Anyone who needs to fill their digital baskets will find that retailers will have full stock availability, alongside reliable delivery times. Anytime after this date might be more temperamental, as supermarket deadlines begin to tighten, with last-order cut-offs quickly following and even leading to potentially unwanted substitutes.Looking to avoid the mad, last minute rush? Then the best date to avoid heading to the supermarket is Saturday, December 20. Data has shown that this is expected to be "the busiest day" for UK supermarkets as it marks the first day of the final pre-Christmas weekend, with around 20 million shoppers expected to descend on the shops to get in last-minute groceries and essentials for December 25.For the risk-takers who want to try and save money, then the best day to bag any last minute bargains is Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24. Supermarkets tend to make heavy discounts the day before Christmas, with yellow sticker bargains applying heavy discounts on essentials such as fresh produce, desserts, and seasonal items before closing.However, the "golden hours" to nab yellow sticker discounts at the supermarket on Christmas Eve can differ, with some offering them in waves throughout the day. Savings Expert Zoe Morris previously revealed the full breakdown of times for each major UK supermarket, such as Tesco, Morrisons, M&S and Asda, but advised that many of them offer the best markdowns an hour before the supermarket closes on December 24, so it's worth checking local opening hours and planning ahead.Follow Daily Record:At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.
