What is Happening to Asda?

[Parafox]

For several months now, I have seen a noticeable drop in quality and supply of fresh stuff and an increase in prices overall.

 

Quite often I find popular things out of stock, and some that are OOD or close to expiry dates. When a store runs out of bread by midday, something is wrong. 

 

There seems to be poor stock rotation, staff seem to be all consumed with unloading cages and pallets on the shop floor all day when surely this be an overnight re-stock process.

 

It feels to me like the company is operating on extremely fine margins. Staff levels have declined and those that are on the self checkouts or doing click and collect seem over-run and struggling to manage.

 

After a bit of online searching it seem like the Issa brothers took on an already struggling enterprise expecting to turn it around but now seem to be running on empty and treating Asda more as a corner shop for the masses but with less respect for the customer. It appears they have separated the fuel stations and brought them under their umbrella which is how they made their wealth, owning multiple fuel stations and convenience stores. 

 

It seems they aren't really that concerned about the Asda brand but more about the petrol station aspect where bigger profits can be made. Unfortunately Asda and fuel are linked, obviously but something is not right with the supermarket aspect.

 

Issa brother ‘eyes sale’ of Asda stake to focus on petrol station business | Asda | The Guardian

 

It still remains one of the "big four" for now but I do wonder if it will go the way of Woolworth's or Wilkinson's but for different reasons.

 

I can see them selling out to Tesco or similar in the future.

[Spiritwalker]

I’ve shopped in Asda for years but customer service and stock rotation 

have been shocking for several months.

[Trav Le Bleu]

11 minutes ago, Spiritwalker said:

I’ve shopped in Asda for years but customer service and stock rotation 

have been shocking for several months.

Same. Less and less customer service, more and more automation. Think it all started long ago with self-service tills ("Hey customer, can you do the job of someone we used to pay so we can sack them and save money!") Though this is across most supermarkets, but there's some bucking the trend.

 

Went to Asda in Oadby for about 20 years, but now we go Lidl or Aldi. Less variety but more relaxed and cheaper.

[Izzy]

31 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Same. Less and less customer service, more and more automation. Think it all started long ago with self-service tills ("Hey customer, can you do the job of someone we used to pay so we can sack them and save money!") Though this is across most supermarkets, but there's some bucking the trend.

 

Went to Asda in Oadby for about 20 years, but now we go Lidl or Aldi. Less variety but more relaxed and cheaper.

Packing my own stuff at the Lidl or Aldi checkout is one of the most stressful experiences I have in life.

 

Feels like how ever quick I go, it's nowhere near quick enough for them or the hoards queuing behind me..

 

 

Edited 1 March by Izzy

[Royston.]

19 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Packing my own stuff at the Lidl or Aldi checkout is one of the most stressful experiences I have in life.

 

Feels like how ever quick I go, it's nowhere near quick enough for them or the hoards queuing behind me..

 

 

when i do a big shop on my own i just put everything back in the trolley and take it to the car and pack it at a leisurely pace.

 

#lifehack

[Mike Oxlong]

29 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Packing my own stuff at the Lidl or Aldi checkout is one of the most stressful experiences I have in life.

 

Feels like how ever quick I go, it's nowhere near quick enough for them or the hoards queuing behind me..

 

 

This has made me want to get a job on the checkout at Lidl/Aldi 

[Blarmy]

I’ve moved to Retford from my beloved Leicester I was born and lived in for 45 years, and the Asda here is SHITE. The “fresh” stuff is a joke and the choice of dried/canned/chilled stuff is pathetic. 
 

I try and get as much stuff as possible from smaller shops or the market. 

[fox_favourite]

I've disliked Asda for years. The nearest one for me was Thurmaston branch, and hated it. Found it felt dirty and choice and stock poor and seemed worse after COVID. Put me off Asda ever since, even now I've moved to near Fosse park, I don't do my weekly shop there, preferring Aldi (though wasn't keen on Thorpe Astley one, but been loads better since it's refurbishment). As for the fuel, filled my car up with their diesel years ago and it made my car stutter. Filled up with Sainsbury's next and it never did it again. So I avoid Asda fuel like the plague now. 

 

Asda used to be good, but I agree it has gone downhill in past years which is a shame. 

[fox_favourite]

3 hours ago, Izzy said:

Packing my own stuff at the Lidl or Aldi checkout is one of the most stressful experiences I have in life.

 

Feels like how ever quick I go, it's nowhere near quick enough for them or the hoards queuing behind me..

 

 

I see it as a challenge and regularly beat the checkout person in packing. Have your bags pre open in the trolley, organise the shopping when you put it on the conveyor belt to cold/frozen (hot days put cold things first then frozen stuff goes on top to keep it cool) and cupboard stuff, have one bag for cold and one for the cupboard stuff and pack at the tills. That's my trick to it. Rarely do they beat me. 😁

 

#checkoutNinja

Edited 2 March by fox_favourite

[Daggers]

ASDA is a zombie hellhole, full of empty shelves and broken discount promises. The illogical way they lay out the fruit of veg section is the product of at least one mind that should be sectioned. But they’re the only store selling Banana Beer, so needs must when the devil drives.

 

Lidl is way superior by any conceivable metric, and the packing challenge is a piece of piss to the logical mind - with or without a trolley.

[Silebyfox_89]

7 hours ago, Royston. said:

when i do a big shop on my own i just put everything back in the trolley and take it to the car and pack it at a leisurely pace.

 

#lifehack

Unless its raining 👀

[Trav Le Bleu]

8 hours ago, Izzy said:

Packing my own stuff at the Lidl or Aldi checkout is one of the most stressful experiences I have in life.

 

Feels like how ever quick I go, it's nowhere near quick enough for them or the hoards queuing behind me..

 

 

Don't pack at the till. Chuck it all back in the trolley then pack at your leisure at the shelf behind the tills.

[Daggers]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Don't pack at the till. Chuck it all back in the trolley then pack at your leisure at the shelf behind the tills.

Line everything up as tins & bottles, frozen, fresh, veg, fruit, bread - then walk out past the person still packing their bags by the shelf 😎

[shen]

10 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Same. Less and less customer service, more and more automation. Think it all started long ago with self-service tills ("Hey customer, can you do the job of someone we used to pay so we can sack them and save money!") Though this is across most supermarkets, but there's some bucking the trend.

 

Went to Asda in Oadby for about 20 years, but now we go Lidl or Aldi. Less variety but more relaxed and cheaper.

It increases the number of tills available making it quicker to shop. We all know the frustrations of being stuck in a queue with a slow clerk or a complaint/issue clogging up the queue for minutes on end.

They will save the wages, yes, but then they have to invest in more advanced hardware, software and expensive maintenance or licenses, so it's probably not an immediate saving.

 

Can't really say I think the self-service tills are a negative.

[st albans fox]

10 hours ago, Izzy said:

Packing my own stuff at the Lidl or Aldi checkout is one of the most stressful experiences I have in life.

 

Feels like how ever quick I go, it's nowhere near quick enough for them or the hoards queuing behind me..

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Royston. said:

when i do a big shop on my own i just put everything back in the trolley and take it to the car and pack it at a leisurely pace.

 

#lifehack

I thought you weren’t supposed to pack your bags at the checkout ?  Signs say to refill trolley and pack at the area beyond where there are shelves to help you and can do at a sedate pace 

[fox_favourite]

1 minute ago, st albans fox said:

 

I thought you weren’t supposed to pack your bags at the checkout ?  Signs say to refill trolley and pack at the area beyond where there are shelves to help you and can do at a sedate pace 

That's no fun. I like the challenge and a rebel for the rules at Aldi 

Edited 2 March by fox_favourite

[Vlad the Fox]

10 hours ago, Izzy said:

Packing my own stuff at the Lidl or Aldi checkout is one of the most stressful experiences I have in life.

 

Feels like how ever quick I go, it's nowhere near quick enough for them or the hoards queuing behind me..

 

 

Pay them in all your small shrapnel, then take as long as you like while they count it.

 

#getridofallyoursmallchangeatthesupermarketsoitgivesyoutimetopackyourbagswhiletheycountit.

[Vlad the Fox]

3 hours ago, Daggers said:

ASDA is a zombie hellhole, full of empty shelves and broken discount promises. The illogical way they lay out the fruit of veg section is the product of at least one mind that should be sectioned. But they’re the only store selling Banana Beer, so needs must when the devil drives.

 

Lidl is way superior by any conceivable metric, and the packing challenge is a piece of piss to the logical mind - with or without a trolley.

That banana bread beer is lovely, especially on a hot day, I rarely go in Asda now but when I do I always have to go and get some.

[Daggers]

2 minutes ago, Vlad the Fox said:

Pay them in all your small shrapnel, then take as long as you like while they count it.

 

#getridofallyoursmallchangeatthesupermarketsoitgivesyoutimetopackyourbagswhiletheycountit.

Fire the coins at them too quickly for them to count and run out, saving…no, that won’t work, they’ve slowed down our Lidl exit door so shoplifters have to wait for it to open.

[Daggers]

1 minute ago, Vlad the Fox said:

That banana bread beer is lovely, especially on a hot day, I rarely go in Asda now but when I do I always have to go and get some.

And the chocolate/coffee stout. That was a blinder too last night.

[RonnieTodger]

Oadby Asda is a disgrace 

[jgtuk]

17 minutes ago, Vlad the Fox said:

Pay them in all your small shrapnel, then take as long as you like while they count it.

 

#getridofallyoursmallchangeatthesupermarketsoitgivesyoutimetopackyourbagswhiletheycountit.

I pay by cheque, much safer. 
 

 

 

 

 

[Trav Le Bleu]

27 minutes ago, shen said:

It increases the number of tills available making it quicker to shop. We all know the frustrations of being stuck in a queue with a slow clerk or a complaint/issue clogging up the queue for minutes on end.

They will save the wages, yes, but then they have to invest in more advanced hardware, software and expensive maintenance or licenses, so it's probably not an immediate saving.

 

Can't really say I think the self-service tills are a negative.

Maybe it works better in Daneland.

 

This is the Divided Kingdom remember.

[jgtuk]

3 hours ago, Daggers said:

ASDA is a zombie hellhole, full of empty shelves and broken discount promises. The illogical way they lay out the fruit of veg section is the product of at least one mind that should be sectioned. But they’re the only store selling Banana Beer, so needs must when the devil drives.

 

Lidl is way superior by any conceivable metric, and the packing challenge is a piece of piss to the logical mind - with or without a trolley.

Nearest Asda is an hour away 😡. I really want to try this. 

There must be another retailer selling it…

[shen]

35 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Maybe it works better in Daneland.

 

This is the Divided Kingdom remember.

Fair, didn't consider that