Do You Buy Clearance Food Items at Discount Price?

From time to time, supermarkets, butcher shops, vege / fruit shops mark down the price on the goods close to expiry date, sometimes even a fraction of the original price.
I am a fan of those clearance items so usually take a stroll to the supermarket nearby before close time.

Poll Options

  • 13
    I never buy clearance food items
  • 21
    I buy clearance food items only when I actually need them
  • 145
    Depends on category / price / time / quality, etc.
  • 446
    Food on clearance is what I am looking for

Comments

  • +1

    I always look for $2 per bag at local green grocery. Cook in the same day in bulk and store in the fridge for a week. Also, I buy marked down milk from Coles for around $1.5 to 2.5 for 2l bottles with one or 2 days to the best before date. Best way to get A2 goodness for a cheaper price than the Coles brand milk.

  • +1

    Clearance price buying (>55% off for me) is like treasure hunting :D A fun challenge, stress relief, and the reward is that you get to eat it (grocery items) :D

    The mental challenge of
    a) is it good value
    b) am I going to actually use it
    c) do I have enough room in my cupboard/freezer/fridge/etc
    d)do I already have this at home
    e) is there someone I could cook for using this, or someone that could use this more than me

    all happens within 3 seconds of seeing the price tag, and the 'reward' of either walking away if a-e is not met, or getting it if it is, is quite satisfying.

    It is so great when you find a good, relatively reliable clearance location.

  • any cheap chicken and it's stir fry for dinner tonight

  • Hardly see any mark downs anymore. Most of it goes in the skip out the back I hear.

  • +1

    Is the pope Catholic?

  • If I reasonably believe that the age doesn't significantly affect it and I want it, yes sure.

    Would I buy marked down chicken to do my meal prep for the week, no probably not.

    Would I buy a roll of brie at the end of it's "life", yeah of course.

    • You can freeze the chicken, and it should be fine.

      • +1

        Maybe, but I do one big cook for the next 4 days or so so would just rather everything be fresh

  • +2

    Those who said they never buy clearance food, should be ejected from Ozbargain.

  • yes - ill consume it within 24hrs however, sometimes 12hrs.

  • +1

    FYI guys. From 22/06 Woolworths are changing their markdown policy on meat/perishables/seafood. They won't be reducing expiring products until after 2pm. Produce after 11am. Roast chickens still the same (3 1/2 hrs once out of oven).

  • I do buy if it’s there when I’m there but I don’t have time anymore to make specific trips to hunt down clearance items. Miss those days!

  • I take a stroll to my local IGA for clearance fruit and veg, they do $0.99 and $1.99 mixed bags that make sense for cooking a meal.

  • +1

    I'm currently in Europe and there's an amazing app called TooGoodToGo and I've gotten so much food for such a great price! It's where supermarkets, bakeries or restaurants (even florists) post up a magic bag which has a random mix of foods/items that are about to expire for a ridiculously low price!
    I paid the equivalent of 15aud and got 2x300 g worth of fresh ravioli, 4 salami logs, 3 chunks of cheese, 3 packs of ham and a pack of fried fish. At full price it would have been worth at least 50aud
    It is random though, so one time I got 17 pots of yoghurt that expired within the next three days lol

    I really hope Australia gets on board with this when I get back, if they're not already

    • +2

      There's Y Waste in Australia, though not sure how is going, the local place I used it for send to have stopped using it

      • This is great! I'll check it out when I return :)

  • The best time to try fancy vegan meat substitutes is when they've got one day left.

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