Saving money can be that easy: Thanks to a simple tip, you can buy vegetables, fruit and the like much cheaper in the future.
Whether it's a supermarket or a discounter, food prices have risen sharply in recent months. According to the Federal Statistical Office, food prices rose by 2022.2023 percent between March 22 and March 3. Prices for edible oils, dairy products, cereal products and vegetables are particularly affected by the sharp price increase. Wheat flour has even become 71 percent more expensive, while sunflower and rapeseed oil have risen by a whopping 88 percent.
Since April 2022, food inflation has been significantly higher than the general inflation rate (+7.4 percent). If energy and food are excluded, the inflation rate would also be lower and would have been only +2023.5 percent in March 8. Fortunately, there is a simple life hack for consumers to avoid the extreme price increase.
Secret supermarket codes: what you need to know
The good news is that if you're smart, you can continue to save money when buying groceries despite inflation. To do this, you just need to understand how the price adjustments of retail chains work. Because every day goods are reduced and can be bought at a bargain price – provided you can decrypt the codes.
The next time you visit the supermarket, take a look at the price tags. The abbreviations "T" or "TS" are often written there. According to the traders, these codes help employees with their work. But there is much more to it than that, and consumers benefit financially from being able to read the codes correctly. According to the consumer advice center, the abbreviations reveal whether and when food will be reduced.
A very simple tip will help you save © money in the supermarket Kzenon/Imago
"T" and "TS": These labels make you a bargain hunter when shopping
The "T" stands for daily goods and thus distinguishes products that are reduced daily. Most of the time you can find the offers in the evening just before closing time. Since these are perishable goods – especially baked goods and fruits and vegetables – the price is lowered so that nothing has to be thrown away.
The "TS", on the other hand, is an abbreviation for daily goods on Saturdays. So these products are only reduced on Saturday. If you normally only make a big purchase once a week, you should take another trip to the supermarket to take advantage of the price reductions. Before the weekend or before holidays, supermarkets want to get rid of perishable goods quickly.
Supermarket shopping: Thanks to the price reductions, you can save a lot of money
Although the codes are freely available, few consumers know what they really mean. First and foremost, they serve the supermarket employees to know what should be reduced and when. Since employees work shifts, it would be quite difficult to keep track of reductions without these codes. Once you understand how the price adjustments work, you can plan your purchase accordingly in order to buy food cheaper.
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While baked goods, fruit and vegetables are usually reduced one to two hours before closing time, the situation is somewhat different for meat products. According to an RTL report, these are usually cheapest in the morning. At the fresh food counter, on the other hand, some goods are given away in the evening - the perishable products should be sold quickly before they become inedible and end up in the garbage.
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More savings tips for consumers
Not only fresh products such as fruit and vegetables are often discounted. Even foods whose best-before date (BBD) is about to be reached are usually sold at much lower prices. Many products can often be enjoyed beyond the best-before date without hesitation. Only the optimal quality – including smell, taste and nutritional value – is no longer guaranteed. You can also approach a supermarket employee and ask if you can get a product cheaper if the best-before date is imminent.
Otherwise, you can save your wallet with proven methods and, for example, search for offers in advertising brochures. In the meantime, chains such as Rewe, Edeka, Aldi and Lidl also offer coupons and discounts via app. Ideally, fruit and vegetables should only be bought seasonally, because then the goods are cheapest. That's why bargain hunters are already very picky about the selected dishes when creating the weekly schedule or buy frozen or canned fruit and vegetables out of season.
