Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Asda changes that shoppers need to know about

Everything from bakery items to Royal Mail stamps, as well as delivery and loyalty scheme changes, are coming in October - and shoppers are urged to know about them

Seven significant changes are set to take place across Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda and Tesco stores in October. As we move further into autumn, shoppers nationwide will encounter alterations at the checkout.

From bakery goods to Royal Mail stamps, loyalty schemes and deliveries are all undergoing transformations in the coming month.

Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming changes that could affect your pocket. Customers of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Asda are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these modifications before they come into force.

Sainsbury's bakery - already in effect.

Sainsbury's has implemented a significant change to some of its beloved bakery items across all 1,400 UK outlets. The supermarket giant has introduced new packaging for its bakery range in an effort to minimise plastic waste, reports Birmingham Live.

Read more: I went to Costco and can't understand why everyone was buying the same thing

See our top stories and avoid ads by downloading our app to your phone or tablet

Items such as pastries, doughnuts and baguettes from Sainbury's in-store bakery will soon be packaged entirely in cardboard and paper.

The supermarket chain claims that this alteration to its doughnuts and pastries will result in a 90% reduction in plastic waste, saving 414 tonnes over a year. The modification to its bread packaging will decrease plastic by 60%, reducing waste by 560 tonnes annually.

Morrisons app - already in effect.

Morrisons has announced a significant update to their loyalty app, promising an improved experience for users. The supermarket giant is transitioning customers from the previous "white app", used primarily for online grocery orders via fulfilment centres, to a unified and enhanced "green" Morrisons groceries app.

The move comes after Morrisons introduced a store-pick model for online orders which necessitated a second application. This change was described as "regional" by Morrisons, meaning most customers would not have noticed the existing two-app system, according to a report by the Grocer.

In postage news, from October 7, the Royal Mail is set to hike prices, with a standard first-class stamp going from £1.35 to £1.65, marking a 22 percent increase. The cost of a large first-class stamp will also climb by 24 percent, from £2.10 to £2.60.

Rates for additional services like "Signed For", "Special Delivery Guaranteed", and "Tracked" will see a price jump as well, but there will be no price change for second-class stamps, holding at 85p for a standard issue, and £1.55 for the larger version.

This alteration means that prices will rise for shoppers buying stamps at leading stores including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda, Iceland, and the Co-operative.

Additionally, for those saving up on their Tesco Christmas Clubcard points, bear in mind the last day for savings is slated for October 16.

Tesco is encouraging customers to get ahead of the festive season with its Christmas Savers Scheme, which offers a maximum bonus of £12 (six percent of deposit). To qualify for the bonus, you must pay into your account by 11.59pm on October 17, ensuring payment by November.

For those with a Tesco Clubcard, topping up is convenient at most Tesco stores' customer service desks.

A representative from Tesco said: "Our Clubcard Christmas Savers scheme helps customers to save their Clubcard vouchers throughout the year so they can use them for their big Christmas shop. Customers can now top-up their Christmas Savers account online, and manage their account through our website or app, making it easier than ever to earn bonus vouchers to spend at Tesco."

The supermarket giant has updated its website with information on how shoppers can contribute to their savings accounts. Remember, the cut-off date for joining and adding funds this year is October 17, with the distribution of vouchers scheduled for November.

In other news, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is set to release the latest inflation figures on October 16. Inflation tracks the variation in prices over time, and according to the ONS's most recent data, the rate remained steady at 2.2% in the year leading up to August.

Previously, inflation peaked at 11.1% in October 2022. The upcoming inflation data could have significant implications for consumer behaviour, potentially influencing the cost of everyday items such as bread, milk, cheese, fruits, and vegetables.

Lastly, don't miss out on the opportunity to purchase Morrisons Christmas saver stamps the deadline is October 31.

The Morrisons Digital Christmas Saver offers a maximum bonus of £6 (3.1 percent of deposit). To receive this, you must pay in by October 31 and the bonus will be paid by November 1.

A Morrisons' More account is necessary to redeem your bonus.

Your Christmas Saver vouchers for this year will be totalled on 31st October 2024. Any digital Christmas Saver stamps purchased after this date will contribute towards your Christmas 2025 balance.

These digital Christmas Saver stamps will be linked to your registered Morrisons More account, which you can sign up for.

A digital More account is required to view your total stamps and redeem them.

Meanwhile, frozen food specialist Iceland has made a significant change to 53 of its UK stores ahead of a major nationwide rollout. The supermarket has teamed up with Deliveroo to expand its rapid delivery offer and is now providing the service at 53 of its UK stores.

The plan is to extend this to all 800 Iceland and Food Warehouse stores by the end of October.