About Asda
Asda, one of Britain's largest supermarket chains, has been a cornerstone of value-driven grocery shopping for nearly six decades. With its headquarters in Leeds, West Yorkshire, this iconic retailer serves millions of UK households through over 1,100 stores nationwide, offering everything from budget-friendly essentials to premium meal solutions. UK Heritage and History The Asda story begins in the 1920s with two separate Yorkshire enterprises. The Asquith family ran a butcher's shop in Knottingley, West Yorkshire, which brothers Peter and Fred Asquith eventually expanded to seven shops. Simultaneously, a group of enterprising West Riding dairy farmers formed Hindell's Dairy Farmers Ltd, which evolved into Associated Dairies & Farm Stores Ltd in 1949 under Arthur Stockdale's leadership. The pivotal moment came on 3rd May 1965 when the Asquith brothers sold their three supermarkets to Associated Dairies. The merger created the name ASDA—an abbreviation of Asquith and Dairies. Peter and Fred Asquith, along with Noel and Eric Stockdale, became joint managing directors of this new retail venture. Through the 1970s and 1980s, Asda expanded aggressively into Southern England, acquiring Allied Carpets, 61 Gateway Supermarkets, and other businesses including MFI. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 1999, when American retail giant Walmart acquired it for £6.7 billion, bringing global retail expertise to the British high street. Asda held the position of Britain's second-largest supermarket from 2003 to 2014, when it fell to third place. In February 2021, the Issa Brothers (Mohsin and Zuber) and private equity firm TDR Capital acquired Asda from Walmart for £6.8 billion, though Walmart retained a 10% stake. Following further ownership changes in late 2024, TDR Capital now controls 67.5% of the business, with Mohsin Issa holding 22.5% and Walmart maintaining its 10% stake. As of January 2025, Asda commands a 12.6% share of the UK grocery market. Store Network and Services Asda operates approximately 1,115 locations across the United Kingdom, with 933 stores (83%) in England. The estate includes several formats: Supercentres offering the complete range, Superstores, smaller Supermarkets, over 470 Asda Express convenience stores, and dedicated Asda Living stores for homeware and clothing. The retailer continues to expand, with plans to open 22 new Asda Express stores before the end of 2025, bringing the convenience format to approximately 500 locations. This expansion reflects Asda's strategy to capture more neighbourhood shopping occasions alongside its traditional larger store format. Asda's online grocery service offers over 30,000 products with flexible delivery options. Standard delivery requires a minimum £40 spend, while Express Delivery provides same-day service in as little as one hour through partners including Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo. The Asda Delivery Pass offers unlimited deliveries from £39.50 annually for midweek slots. Click and Collect is available from over 450 locations with a lower £25 minimum spend. Premium and Specialist Ranges Asda has invested over £170 million in improving its product range and quality over the past three years, launching several distinctive own-brand tiers: Exceptional by Asda represents the retailer's premium positioning, launched in 2024 with over 500 products featuring sophisticated emerald green and gold packaging. The range includes premium items like Exceptional Burrata, Petit Livarot cheese, and restaurant-quality steaks in 8oz, 10oz, and 11oz cuts across ribeye, sirloin, fillet, and rump varieties. This range competes directly with premium offerings from Tesco Finest and Sainsbury's Taste the Difference. Extra Special continues as Asda's established premium line, particularly strong in wines, spirits, and speciality food items. Products like Extra Special Blonde Chocolate Cream Liqueur showcase the range's indulgent positioning. Bistro by Asda serves up elevated pub favourites and Italian-inspired dishes for convenient midweek dining. The Bistro Meal Deal offers one main, one side, and a starter or dessert for £10, with options including Sausage and Buttery Mash, Lamb Hot Pot, Beer Batter Haddock & Mushy Peas, and Slow Cooked Gammon Shanks. Bom Bahia by Asda brings premium Indian cuisine to the ready meal aisle. Dishes include Chicken Tikka Masala, Kashmiri Chicken Korma, Garlic Chicken Balti, and King Prawn Bhuna, all priced at £5. The Bom Bahia Meal Deal offers two mains and two sides for £10, with accompaniments like Garlic & Coriander Naan, Lamb Samosas, and Chicken Chaat Kachori. Value and Budget Ranges Just Essentials by Asda, launched in May 2022, replaced the Smart Price range with 50% more products. The range won the Quality Food Awards 'Own Label Brand of the Year' and The Grocer Gold Awards 'Own-Label Range of the Year.' With prices starting at just 16p, the range spans all key categories including fresh meat, fish, poultry, bakery, frozen foods, and cupboard staples, plus over 20 household and toiletry products. More than 22 million customers purchased from Just Essentials since launch, and the range was credited with helping Asda achieve 4.7% like-for-like sales growth in Q3 2022. Asda also launched a Just Essentials meal plan demonstrating how to feed a family of four for under £20 per week, reinforcing its commitment to value during the cost-of-living crisis. Dietary and Lifestyle Ranges Asda Free From provides an extensive range for customers with food allergies and intolerances. The gluten-free range includes sweet treats, savoury items, and festive products, with many items also being dairy-free and vegan-friendly. Products are available both in the dedicated Free From aisle and online. Plant Based by Asda launched in January 2020 with 48 Vegan Society-approved products. Positioned as the most affordable vegan range on the market at launch, with products starting from £1.50, it features innovative mushroom-based meat alternatives—a UK supermarket first that reduced reliance on soya. The range spans chilled and frozen ready meals, meat alternatives, and food-to-go options, all packaged in 100% recyclable trays and sleeves. Products include the Meat Free Burger (mushroom-based quarter pounder), Sweet Potato Katsu Curry, Butternut Mac (plant-based mac and cheese), and Cauliflower Tikka Masala. The range has since expanded to include bacon-style rashers and a Chick*n Caesar Wrap. Asda Halal offers a dedicated halal food section online and in stores, allowing Muslim customers to shop according to their dietary requirements with the same prices and delivery options as the standard range. Asda Organic provides certified organic options across meat, vegetables, fruit, and store cupboard essentials. Baby and Family Little Angels by Asda covers the complete infant care category—a UK supermarket first when launched. The range includes nappies, wipes, toiletries, baby food, and feeding equipment, all developed by baby experts and quality-approved by Mumsnet mums. With nappies priced at £10 for 88 and sippy cups from £1, Little Angels offers significant savings compared to branded alternatives. In 2024, Little Angels expanded into George at Asda with a gender-neutral clothing range for children aged 3 months to 4 years, with prices starting at £2.50. George at Asda George, founded in 1989 by fashion designer George Davies, has grown to become the UK's second best-selling clothing label. Featured in 560 Asda stores and receiving 260 million annual website visits, George was named the most budget-friendly supermarket clothing brand by Wethrift's Affordable Supermarket Fashion Index in 2023. In 2009, George officially became the UK's biggest-selling clothing retailer, surpassing Marks & Spencer with a 10% market share. The brand offers fashion for women, men, and children, plus homeware, toys, and baby products. Asda is piloting standalone George stores, potentially leading to the rebranding of Asda Living locations nationwide. Price Positioning and Competition Asda consistently ranks among the cheapest major supermarkets in UK price comparisons. In July 2025 analysis by The Grocer, Asda was the most affordable at £79.08 for a trolley of goods—£2.61 cheaper than runner-up Tesco. However, when loyalty card discounts are factored in, Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury's Nectar can close or reverse the gap. Unlike competitors, Asda doesn't offer traditional loyalty discounts. Instead, it positions itself on everyday low prices, particularly through Just Essentials and its price-matching commitments. The retailer holds approximately 12.6% UK market share (January 2025), behind Tesco (28.3%) and Sainsbury's (15.1%). Recent Developments and Challenges Under new leadership—Lord Rose as CEO (from September 2024) and Allan Leighton as Chairman (from November 2024)—Asda is implementing a turnaround strategy. In March 2025, Chairman Leighton announced price cuts and increased staffing, acknowledging several years of weak trading while noting Asda had 'a pretty significant war chest' for investment. Customer satisfaction surveys have highlighted areas for improvement, with Asda ranking lower in Which? surveys for both in-store and online shopping experiences. Common concerns include stock availability, substitution policies, and reduced staffing levels. However, customers continue to praise the value proposition, particularly the Just Essentials range and competitive pricing. Whether you're seeking premium Exceptional steaks for a special dinner, budget-friendly Just Essentials for everyday cooking, Plant Based alternatives for Veganuary, or Little Angels for your baby, Asda continues to deliver choice and value across every price point and dietary requirement.