SHOP SMART
All the supermarket changes set to hit shoppers this year including fee trial and bakeries being axed
Plus we've got tips on how you can save money on your next food shop
SUPERMARKETS are set to make some major changes in 2025, from ditching bakeries to new fees.
The UK retail market is highly competitive, but it means chains are constantly having to innovate to pull in customers.
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From loyalty card changes to shaking up store layouts, here is everything you can expect this year.
Sainsbury's ditching counters and bakeries
One of the UK's biggest supermarkets is axing all remaining patisserie, bakery, rotisserie and pizza counters in its bigger branches.
It has also laid out plans to shut 61 in-store cafes by the end of Spring, subject to consultation, and axe 3,000 staff from head office.
The overhaul comes as Sainsbury's faces what chief executive Simon Roberts described as a "challenging cost environment".
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The counters will be ditched from stores and replaced with areas selling gluten-free and dairy-free products.
Meanwhile, Sainsbury's is likely to replace the cafes with restaurants run by franchises, such as Starbucks and Gourmet Burger Kitchen.
Tesco job cuts to hit bakeries
Tesco is cutting 400 roles across its stores and head office in a bid to cut costs.
This includes, reportedly, staff who work at in-store bakeries, as the retailer looks to move away from staff baking goods.
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However, the chain said customers will still be able to access all the usual baked goods including its Finest range.
Jobs at Tesco Mobile and head office roles are also set to be cut, .
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Aldi pre-payment fee
German retailer Aldi has introduced a £10 charge at a one-of-a-kind branch, but the move has left shoppers frustrated.
The "pre-authorisation" charge at the Shop and Go store in Greenwich, London, is applied to all customers entering.
Customers tapping their card at the entrance or generating a QR code through the app are automatically charged £10 before being allowed inside.
A refund is issued if they spend less than £10 - but the timing depends on the customers's bank or card provider and some shoppers have reported being charged multiple times if they accidentally press the app button more than once.
Aldi defended the pre-payment charge trial, saying in most cases refunds were processed within 48 hours.
Asda loyalty scheme shake-up
Asda has ditched Star Products on its loyalty scheme as of today as shoppers threatened to boycott the supermarket over the change.
Customers buying Star Products used to earn 10% cashback of the price into their Cashpot, with shoppers then able to use any accumulated savings to get money off a future shop.
It's understood the move has been made ahead of a major shake-up that is expected to see its biggest Rollback price reductions in years.
Asda has also ditched its promise to match prices at rival supermarkets Aldi and Lidl.
Tesco changes to delivery and click and collect
The UK's biggest supermarket is shaking up its deliveries and click and collect service by opening up more slots across 400 larger stores.
The retailer previously offered same-day delivery between 7pm and 11pm, meaning customers could do their online food shop earlier in the day and select a time between those hours for it to be dropped off.
But it has brought this time forward so you can now get your basket delivered as early as 1pm.
Same-day click and collect has also been brought forward to 12pm from 4pm before, while it will still end at 8pm.
Morrisons to axe staff
Morrisons joined Sainsbury's and Tesco earlier this month when it said it will make hundreds of staff redundant.
The retailer said 200 roles in customer service, employee engagement and payroll will be lost, .
A spokeswoman for Morrisons said it carried out a "review of its people structure" to ensure it is "offering stores and sites a timely and consistent service".
M&S self-checkout rollout
Marks and Spencer has been rolling out new "assisted belted checkouts" to 45 Food Halls, with plans to extend the tech to more sites.
The self-checkouts include a conveyor belt and are designed for shoppers with larger trolley shops.
M&S first launched the tech at its London Colney store as part of a trial in 2022 with positive customer feedback leading the retailer to roll it out more widely.
The new checkouts have already launched at branches in Shoreham and West Sussex.
Age-checks on knives
New government rules will see shoppers have to prove their age if they want to buy knives online or in stores.
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Delivery firms will also only be able to hand over knives to the person who bought it.
It comes after it was revealed Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana was able to buy knives on Amazon in seconds despite being just 17 and having a history of violence.
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes - plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury's also sells £2 "Taste Me, Don't Waste Me" fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps - food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go's app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains - yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains - sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they've found on the cheap, including food finds.
"Downshift" - you will almost always save money going for a supermarket's own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as "downshifting" and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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