Coles responds to Woolies alleged ‘secret schedule’ for price markdowns in stores

We all love a good bargain, and when it comes to groceries, there's nothing quite like scoring some big savings on your weekly shop.

And while we might not be able to control the rising cost of living, there are certain ways we can cut back on our expenses – one of which is knowing when supermarkets mark down their stock.



Recently, we wrote an article about a Woolies worker revealing when and what time to shop to score massive markdowns in their stores. They claimed that the markdowns for fresh meats and produce start at around 2 PM.

For markdowns on chilled products, such as frozen meats, that are set to expire in a day or two, the price slash starts in the evenings. They added that the markdowns can go up to 80 per cent off the original price.

Finally, the Woolies employee added that the safest bet shoppers can make to nab good deals is to shop ‘anytime after 6 or 7 PM’.


meat.jpg
Chilled meat gets a markdown in the evenings, according to the staff. Credit: Airam Dato-on/Pexels

However, a spokesperson for the supermarket giant and their rival, Coles, told reporters that there isn’t a set time to find heavily discounted items in their stores.

They shared: ‘Markdowns do not uniformly take place at the same time across all stores.’

The spokesperson added that many things can impact when and how an item gets marked down, including stock on hand, delivery schedules and team member rostering.



‘We know our customers love good value so when a product is near its best-before date, we often mark it down so it can be enjoyed for a cheaper price, instead of being wasted,’ the spokesperson shared.

Despite this, however, many shoppers seem to find the best deals at Coles on a given schedule as well. A couple of months ago, one customer shared in a popular Facebook group how she was able to nab 26 ‘pricey’ products for only $10.92

The shopper revealed that she managed to grab the discounted prices when she shopped at her local Coles towards the end of the night – at 8 PM to be exact. You can read more about her story and another customer’s experience here and here.


shop.jpg
Other shoppers agree that there is a schedule for nabbing discounted items at Coles. Credit: Pixabay/Pexels

Meanwhile, shoppers online have shared that the best time to get weekly specials at Coles is to shop every Wednesday. They said that the shelves get fully stocked the night before for weekly specials.


Key Takeaways

  • Insiders have revealed that the best time to find heavily discounted items is at night after the late afternoon or early evening.
  • But a spokesperson for Coles claimed that there is no set schedule for finding heavily discounted items in their supermarkets.
  • They said that many things impact the markdown of an item.
  • Shoppers at Coles have previously attested they’ve nabbed bargain items every Wednesday, during late afternoons or early evenings.
What are your thoughts on this? Have you encountered similar sales during specific times as well? Let us know in the comments below!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ricci
Sponsored
We all love a good bargain, and when it comes to groceries, there's nothing quite like scoring some big savings on your weekly shop.

And while we might not be able to control the rising cost of living, there are certain ways we can cut back on our expenses – one of which is knowing when supermarkets mark down their stock.



Recently, we wrote an article about a Woolies worker revealing when and what time to shop to score massive markdowns in their stores. They claimed that the markdowns for fresh meats and produce start at around 2 PM.

For markdowns on chilled products, such as frozen meats, that are set to expire in a day or two, the price slash starts in the evenings. They added that the markdowns can go up to 80 per cent off the original price.

Finally, the Woolies employee added that the safest bet shoppers can make to nab good deals is to shop ‘anytime after 6 or 7 PM’.


View attachment 9860
Chilled meat gets a markdown in the evenings, according to the staff. Credit: Airam Dato-on/Pexels

However, a spokesperson for the supermarket giant and their rival, Coles, told reporters that there isn’t a set time to find heavily discounted items in their stores.

They shared: ‘Markdowns do not uniformly take place at the same time across all stores.’

The spokesperson added that many things can impact when and how an item gets marked down, including stock on hand, delivery schedules and team member rostering.



‘We know our customers love good value so when a product is near its best-before date, we often mark it down so it can be enjoyed for a cheaper price, instead of being wasted,’ the spokesperson shared.

Despite this, however, many shoppers seem to find the best deals at Coles on a given schedule as well. A couple of months ago, one customer shared in a popular Facebook group how she was able to nab 26 ‘pricey’ products for only $10.92

The shopper revealed that she managed to grab the discounted prices when she shopped at her local Coles towards the end of the night – at 8 PM to be exact. You can read more about her story and another customer’s experience here and here.


View attachment 9861
Other shoppers agree that there is a schedule for nabbing discounted items at Coles. Credit: Pixabay/Pexels

Meantime, shoppers online have shared that the best time to get weekly specials at Coles is to shop every Wednesday. They said that the shelves get fully stocked the night before for weekly specials.


Key Takeaways

  • Insiders have revealed that the best time to find heavily discounted items is at night after the late afternoon or early evening.
  • But a spokesperson for Coles claimed that there is no set schedule for finding heavily discounted items in their supermarkets.
  • They said that many things impact the markdown of an item.
  • Shoppers at Coles have previously attested they’ve nabbed bargain items every Wednesday, during late afternoons or early evenings.
What are your thoughts on this? Have you encountered similar sales during specific times as well? Let us know in the comments below!
I have to laugh at a trick we played on customers who hovered around the meat dept, waiting for me to 'mark down' products. We would go out & sort meat by dates, but not mark anything down & run back inside. Should have seen the faces. Wait for 20 minutes & drop prices. Like vultures to the kill. Bread & cakes was worse. People will wait 2 hours to get 50 cents off a cake. I would have given everything to charity if allowed.
 
I have to laugh at a trick we played on customers who hovered around the meat dept, waiting for me to 'mark down' products. We would go out & sort meat by dates, but not mark anything down & run back inside. Should have seen the faces. Wait for 20 minutes & drop prices. Like vultures to the kill. Bread & cakes was worse. People will wait 2 hours to get 50 cents off a cake. I would have given everything to charity if allowed.
Not funny, Gerada. Some people actually rely on markdowns to make their shopping dollars stretch. It might be you one day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sylvsptr
Not funny, Gerada. Some people actually rely on markdowns to make their shopping dollars stretch. It might be you one day.
And I know how the people waiting for markdowns got their million dollar homes up the road from shop. If there were real poor people, we gave them out for free out the back, instead if throwing away in dumpster. Instead of dumping on me, go have a look what Bakers Delight does with their unsold products. They give them to a pig farmer.
 

Join the conversation

News, deals, games, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.

Seniors Discount Club

The SDC searches for the best deals, discounts, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.
  1. New members
  2. Jokes & fun
  3. Photography
  4. Nostalgia / Yesterday's Australia
  5. Food and Lifestyle
  6. Money Saving Hacks
  7. Offtopic / Everything else

Latest Articles

  • We believe that retirement should be a time to relax and enjoy life, not worry about money. That's why we're here to help our members make the most of their retirement years. If you're over 60 and looking for ways to save money, connect with others, and have a laugh, we’d love to have you aboard.
  • Advertise with us

User Menu

Enjoyed Reading our Story?

  • Share this forum to your loved ones.
Change Weather Postcode×
Change Petrol Postcode×