Asda - WTF is going on?

[MuggedByReality]

I went into a big out of town Asda store in the East Midlands this afternoon. The place was a chaotic shambles, it looked like some sort of organisational meltdown had happened. Empty wooden pallets scattered around. Empty shelves all over the store. Piles of boxes of stock which should have been on said shelves dumped & piled up in aisles. Massive queues at the customer service desk. Very few staff visible anywhere. I gave up & went to the nearby Sainsbury’s instead which was completely fine.

Is Asda struggling? Has anyone else noticed major problems recently or was this just one store having a bad day?

Don't shop in store but after 10 years a loyal online customer I have defected. I have had no bread or milk 4 weeks running and they don't even bother substituting much of the time even though I tick yes. I have started to average 10 "not availables" on a £60 shop so really not worth their effort delivering. I have done a trial order with Morrisons this week.

I went to my local Asda today, I don’t normally shop there but wanted some Easter Eggs and my usual Aldi has a limited selection.

I noticed a number of staff being quite vocal about how they hate working there whilst talking to each other, and didn’t seem to mind customers hearing. Some of the staff were shouting and acting like badly behaved teenagers at school - I was quite shocked. Also many shelves empty and untidy - it felt like late on a Sat when you expect that not Monday lunchtime.

Just been down to my local Asda (West Midlands) and no problems at all. Yes, the Easter egg aisle was pretty empty but as previous pp said - they are obviously running their stock down by this time . It was the same with the biscuits and chocs at Christmas - stock in several weeks before but woe betide you if you leave it til the last minute!

All their fresh, frozen, tinned aisles well stocked, new clothing lines, toiletries etc

I noticed a number of staff being quite vocal about how they hate working there

The staff at our ex Cop-op petrol station/shop hate working for Asda as well. They all had long faces the first day I went in just after the take over.

Unfortunately, being rural I will continue to buy fuel there as the next petrol station is miles away.

Our nearest one used to be OK but was pretty empty last Friday - but then so was the Aldi across the road, empty shelves everywhere.

Because my store is local, delivery is generally reliable but stock availability is on the decline - I keep finding I can't by this or that and the selection available is less than Tesco. The point of having delivery is to not have to go elsewhere to get the stuff you need so going forward, Asda is unlikely to fill my needs.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/aug/21/asda-owners-under-pressure-as-chains-share-of-market-hits-new-nadir?

This is an old thread from March 2024.

This may be an old thread but it's still a current topic. The new owners seem to be making a mess of things. Another current article

Our local Asda keeps charging full price on reduced items. There are frequent posts on the local Facebook page saying how dreadful the shop is since they took over from the Co-op. I know several people who won't shop there any more.

Every time I go to the Chorley, Lancashire store I have to check my receipt carefully as there are always mistakes. Items have either been added twice or special offers don't register. I'm sick of queuing up at customer services to get refunded. Also, the store is a mess and there are lots of out of date items on the shelves. If you tell the staff, particularly the management if they happen to be on the shop floor, they act as if it's your fault somehow for pointing it out. I notify them as someone with poor eyesight might not be able check the date and end up with something unpleasant or dangerous to eat. Also, the Rewards app is rubbish, I shop there weekly and hardly ever get any money added to my account. ASDA has definitely gone downhill.

@Stefanswife

Report it to Trading Standards / Environmental Health, they should do an unexpected / no notice visit. I understand the store can be heavily fined if ood food is found on the shop floor.

And if you have a phone with you ? when you next go shopping, take photos and submit them as backup to your initial report.

We've been to Asda this afternoon. There were no blueberries, figs, vinegar, double Gloucester cheese etc. The wine offer was good though!

Is it still part of the Walmart group? It might explain why it's so awful now, it's been too Americanised and everything cut to the bone so noone - staff or customers - is happy.

No, not been part of Walmart for a couple of years ? now.

No, owned by the Issa brothers

Go round the corner to Morrisons 👍🏻

I live fairly rurally and everyone locally was delighted when Asda took over the local co-op store and filling station. Not any longer! We've ended up with the worst of both worlds, apparently the petrol contract is still with Texaco for some further time so the prices are still high and quite a bit higher than the actual Asda supermarket filling station prices in the next town. The store itself, although large, is barely stocked. I went in one evening recently needing some kind of last-minute ready meal or filled pasta option etc for dinner and couldn't find a single thing to eat. Lots of shelves filled with random stuff and almost empty fridges where the ready meals would normally be.

There also seem to be some serious staffing issues and our local Facebook page frequently carries messages saying that they are closing early or have run out of petrol. Comments on the post seem to suggest that they have not been paying their staff correctly and as a result, can't keep the ones they have or attract any new ones.

It was good when it was owned by Walmart.

@Pettyhangingbaskets no, not anymore. Mohsin owns a small share, his brother bailed. TDR Capital own the majority share.

I live fairly rurally and everyone locally was delighted when Asda took over the local co-op store and filling station. Not any longer! We've ended up with the worst of both worlds, apparently the petrol contract is still with Texaco for some further time so the prices are still high and quite a bit higher than the actual Asda supermarket filling station prices in the next town.

Those are the exact same complaints I see on our local Facebook page, plus special offers not registering and being charged full price. The staff are really unhappy there as well.

Loaded with debt, shifts and staff cut, trying to do more with less and act as though they are a champagne supermarket with brown ale money!! That's a common issue with companies that get sold, asset stripped, laden with debt. Not predicting a happy ending for ASDA.

I did my online shop today and, no word of a lie, every single item I searched for it offered me something entirely different as first, and often 2nd or 3rd item. So eg. Carrots - first option was Ella's kitchen baby food carrot purée, coconut milk- first option was bounty ice creams, etc etc. for 80 items! I get its upselling, but it took me twice as long and it was bloody annoying. I was ordering actual food and every item it offered me was processed rubbish as well. I've not noticed this before to this extent. I only shop there for the blue light discount, but I don't even get it online so I don't know why I bother anymore!