The worst time of day to buy produce at the supermarket

Don’t shop at the worst time

There’s nothing quite like heading to the grocery store to find nothing but empty shelves, wilted produce or a tower of avocados that are as hard as a rock. 

On the other hand, few knocks in life hit harder than spending a small fortune on your shopping haul only to find those products massively marked down the next day. 

Whether you’re looking for serious savings or the freshest produce in the shop, we’ve gathered the intel on the best and worst times to hit the supermarket.

Most major supermarkets receive a fruit and veggie delivery every day, and more often than not, they arrive early in the morning or late at night in preparation for the next day. If you’re on a produce run and want your leafy greens at their best, early morning is the time to get them. 

The worst time to buy produce is the middle of the day or the afternoon when the fruit and vegetable displays have already dwindled.

The busier the supermarket, the more competition there is for produce – not to mention, the more hectic the shopping experience. The average shopper will buy all their groceries for the week on a Saturday, so beat them to it with a weekday shop instead.

Smaller shops are less likely to turn their veggies and fruit over daily so they will receive a fresh order once or twice a week. Don’t be afraid to ask what day their produce comes in so you can plan accordingly. Fresher fruit and supporting an independent business – win-win!

One produce worker shared in a Reddit thread, “Sundays we get the biggest load [of fruit and vegetables] in so if you’re looking for minimal gaps then that’s probably the best day to go.”

On the flip side, when you’re counting down until payday, it’s well worth holding out for markdown time. In the Facebook group Retail Reductions Australia, savvy shoppers share their experiences of specials and when to start sniffing out a bargain. 

The 102 thousand members strong group is a goldmine for those looking to share their bargains or to get the scoop on bargains in their area. One member managed to nab over $65 worth of meat for just $3.50 by stocking up on markdowns around 6 PM.

An insider on Reddit confirmed that a lot of supermarkets markdown perishables like milk, cheese, deli items, seafood, meat, fruit and vegetables, and bread around 7 PM. This tactic will “leave enough time for it to be thrown out at the end of shift, so a couple of hours before closing [is] the sweet spot.”

Originally published as The worst time of day to buy produce at the supermarket