I worked at M&S and know the best times for yellow sticker discounts

There is nothing better than having money to buy your favourite snacks, but Marks and Spencer can be very expensive unless you are on the hunt for a yellow sticker bargain. These stickers are discounted price labels often placed on items that are going to expire the next day to help supermarkets cut down on food waste.

I used to avoid going into M&S Food Halls as I like to try to save money, but I love their dark chocolate jaffa cake biscuits and have recently developed a strategy to feed my addiction. I worked in the bakery section of a Marks and Spencer for one summer while at university, and now I now only visit my local store at certain times I know when the yellow stickers are being placed.

When is the best time to visit M&S for yellow stickers? 

Many people make the mistake of going to Marks and Spencer at the very end of the day to look for discounts. I believe you are unlikely to find any at that time. 

I used to enjoy working evenings at Marks and Spencer as the shift would go by quickly as there were lots of important things to do before the store closed down for the day. 

In my experience, the absolute best time to find yellow stickers would be first thing in the morning when the store opens, as yellow stickers were instead done by overnight staff. 

I think it is also worth visiting a store between 3pm and 5pm, as I would usually begin my shift placing yellow stickers if I started work in the late afternoon. 

If you are looking to find some discount snacks, I think it is better to visit Marks and Spencer around 4pm as that is when I find lots of bakery goods and lunch items with yellow stickers. 

However, it should be noted that I used to avoid doing yellow stickers for as long as possible if I thought a crowd was gathering to wait for discounts. 

My manager often used to tell me to put the yellow stickers away if too many people were waiting for discounts as it would block aisles and quickly become chaotic. 

No one likes being watched or followed while working, so if you see a staff member doing yellow stickers then check back in a few minutes or keep some distance while you wait. 

Yellow sticker times may be different depending on the Marks and Spencer store you visit, so it is worth asking a staff member when it is usually quiet for the best time.

Staff members will often share when they normally apply reductions as long as you are polite and they are not busy, which can help you buy your favourite snacks without whinging at the price tag.