Retail Arbitrage Series: Superdrug

Welcome back to the Retail Arbitrage series. Following on from Boots in the last blog, we’re staying on the theme of health, beauty, and personal care and diving straight into Superdrug.

While Superdrug isn’t quite as strong as Boots, it shares many similarities in structure and strategy. It’s more of an online sourcing store rather than a decent RA store, but there can be a couple of opportunities to be found in store but not in abundance. In this guide, we’ll break down how Superdrug works and how to make the most of it.

How Superdrug Works

Superdrug stores are laid out in a typical high, street format. You’ll find dedicated sections for:

• Beauty
• Male grooming
• Female personal care
• Skincare and cosmetics
• Pharmacy
• Health and supplements

Stock is laid out along traditional shelving, with yellow stickers indicating discounted items. These can appear both in clearance sections and scattered across the regular aisles.

The real strength of Superdrug lies in its online store, where discounts are more frequent and more generous. You can often stack multiple offers, such as 3 for 2, student discount codes and cashback. Superdrug also offers click and collect, which can make your RA trip more worthwhile when combined with other stops.

Where to Find Profitable Items

Here’s where to focus your time when sourcing in Superdrug:

• Yellow Stickers – These are marked reduced prices. Look out for them on standard shelves, not just in clearance sections. Always scan them.
• Clearance Section(s) – Some stores have one clearance section, others have two. These are usually near the back of the store or at the ends of aisles. They can contain decent stock, but watch for damage or short dates.
• Online Deals – Superdrug runs frequent online-only offers, including brand-specific deals and flash sales. You’ll often find:
  
  
  • 3-for-2 deals
  • 20% off selected ranges
  • £10 bundles
  • Sitewide codes

You can also use Discord bots and groups that provide student discounts and help you stack extra savings, even as a non student.

How Clearance Works

Superdrug’s clearance system is quite basic and, to be honest, inconsistent.

• Clearance Sections – Often tucked away, sometimes at the end of aisles or in small displays.
• Shelf Clearance – Yellow stickers on normal products indicate markdowns. These aren’t always obvious, but they’re often better than what’s in the clearance zone.
• Product Condition – Many clearance items are close to expiry or in damaged packaging. Always check dates and box condition before buying.

In general, if it looks rough or feels risky just leave it.

Best Time of Year for Superdrug

Truthfully, there’s no clear seasonal pattern with Superdrug. Sales and reductions happen completely randomly.

• January – You might find more supplements and personal care clearance.
• Spring to Autumn – Nothing specific, but you’ll still get sporadic offers.
• Q4 – Not a big driver for gifts, unlike other stores.

If you’re near one, it’s always worth popping in, but don’t expect a consistent payoff.

Superdrug Hacks

Here are a few tricks to make Superdrug work harder for you:

• Use Online Discounts – Stack discount codes with cashback and student offers.
• Click and Collect – Combine it with other RA trips to justify the visit.
• Stack Student Discount – Many Discord groups offer bots that generate Superdrug student codes. Use them on top of sale prices.
• Don’t Go Out of Your Way – Only visit Superdrug if one’s nearby, don’t make it a priority stop.
• Scan Yellow Stickers on Shelves – These often outperform clearance section items and are less likely to be short dated or damaged.
• Always Check Expiry Dates – This is especially important for health and beauty items.

Pros and Cons of Superdrug

Pros

• Can be a useful addition to your RA trip
• Occasionally decent online deals and stackable offers
• Quick stop if it’s in a retail park
• Click and collect makes online offers more accessible

Cons

• A high percentage of clearance stock is short dated or damaged
• Poor signal in store makes scanning with SellerAmp frustrating
• Very little stock overall
• Superdrug can be unfriendly to resellers online
• Not worth going out of your way for