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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What’s actually wrong with ASDA?

271 replies

Stopitjuststopit2018 · 09/05/2018 19:58

I never knew that it was seen as “low end” until recently, escalated by the merger news. I think they have nice own brand stuff, are good value, and their stores are well presented with lots of variety . I find the George clothing nice as well and it doesn’t rip or bobble as much as some of the other supermarket brand clothes.

Is the view that it’s chavvy a southern thing?

OP posts:
Thingvellir · 09/05/2018 23:25

Asda fresh food is tasteless or disgusting or both. Veg is going off in the aisles, meat is awful and I once had some pre-prepared fajitas that were one of the most rank things I've ever contemplated eating. I think the baked goods are equal to other supermarkets and obviously the branded stuff is the same, maybe a bit cheaper but not worth it for the crap fresh food (I can afford to make the choice not to shop there).

I''m really surprised by the proposed merger and don't think it will happen. If it does then a lot of shoppers will defect, it's a gift for Lidl/Aldi really which is the exact opposite of the objectives of the merger.

Pebblesandsea · 09/05/2018 23:35

It always feels like ASDA and Tesco sell lots more junk than other supermarkets....

ErrolTheDragon · 09/05/2018 23:36

I've just eaten some Asda strawberries, they were fine. I'm expecting the British ones DH got in Waitrose today to be better, but they cost twice as much.

Storm4star · 09/05/2018 23:38

Haven’t read the whole thread. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with ASDA, now if you were talking about Morrison’s i’d have a different view! I hate that place! My local one actually feels grubby and the food is such low quality. It’s the one place I would never shop. Tried it once, never again.

ToadOfSadness · 09/05/2018 23:39

I used to like ASDA and shop there every week, then they changed the layout and reduced the amount of items. Luckily Sainsburys is opposite and I prefer the food and can get almost everything I need there.

Sainsbury and Asda do not have the same customer base.
I am possibly the only customer that uses both, even with them being opposite each other. I also shop in Waitrose. I know what I want from each store and they all have good points. I don't get shoved out of the way in Sainsburys like I do in ASDA, so you could well be right about the customer base, much ruder customers.

However, I buy George clothes because I know they will fit whereas I have only ever found one item in Sainsburys since they started doing clothing. ASDA homewares in general and (MN endorsed) unscented baby wipes are good, fruit & veg and cold meats, a struggle sometimes to get stuff as it is sold out quickly these days. Prefer it to Lidl which I avoid as much as possible as it is like a scrum in a jumble sale.

Tesco is overpriced and I really loathe it. ASDA is pretty good really.

ToadOfSadness · 09/05/2018 23:42

Agree with Storm about Morrisons quality, some of it anyway but by choosing carefully I can get a full shop there and prefer it to Lidl any day. It is closer for me than ASDA and they have a collection bin for the local animal rescue which I like. ASDA has no food bank or pet food bin.

eggsandchips · 09/05/2018 23:46

Asda FM is annoying 😊 apart from that it's fine!

FleurDelacoeur · 10/05/2018 07:47

I don't recognise a lot of what people are saying about shouty, tattooed, loutish people shopping in Asda. It depends so much on the demographic of your area and your shopping options.

In my nice, middle class suburb, we have a large Asda. About 2 miles away there is a much smaller Tesco, and a Waitrose. There isn't a Sainsbury's or an Aldi. Morrisons is much further.

So as Asda is the biggest supermarket by far, with three times the range of Tesco and things which Waitrose don't have (clothing, homewares), it's used by everyone. All the lawyers. doctors, teachers and professionals who live round here. Perhaps if there were a massive Sainsburys they'd all be in there instead but there's not.

Does anyone live somewhere which has all of the major supermarkets equally convenient? Doubt it.

We shop in Asda mainly and their fresh produce is fine. Fruit lasts two minutes in this house so I never have it long enough to go bad. No issues with meat - and they recently upgraded their butchery counter. And because it's in a fairly affluent area, you can get your premium ingredients and wines.

Allreadygone · 10/05/2018 08:17

It is rather unfair judging any shop by it's clientele. Being slightly hypocritical I would avoid a shop frequented by solicitors like the plague.

sothisisspring · 10/05/2018 08:31

The shelves often have massive gaps. They have been slow to change eg offer more food for special diets. Their own brand food is grim. In every survey of supermarkets they come lowest on ethics, in terms of animal rights, environment, treatment of staff etc. I worked there as a student and they paid less than all the other supermarkets. When I started Waitrose the following year I found out their U18 rate was more than the Asda adult rate of pay. The food was poorly wrapped including getting blood from fresh meat all over the tills. You weren’t allowed water or to sit down at checkouts until I collapsed on a shift from dehydration and then they decided on hot days water was ok. There was a fight at my checkout on Christmas Eve. I really hope they have improved since then as they were in every way not nice to work for. I’m really disappointed that Sainsbury’s, who for years have tried to market themselves as a more ethical supermarket, have decided to merge with Asda (Walmart). Not sure what it was like Pre-Walmart, might have been better.

LagunaBubbles · 10/05/2018 08:37

It's the lowest end of the big ones, I'm surprised anything would think differently

Im surprised anyone would be arrogant enough to assume everyone thinks the same as them.
There is nothing wrong with Asda. Its very popular as its always busy when Im in. The quality of the food is fine. I dont have any loyalty to any supermarket mind you, I will use Asda, Morrisons and Tesco for big shops and also shop in Sainsburys and Aldi to.

The80sweregreat · 10/05/2018 08:53

It depends on location, we have them all around here, Aldi is a bit of a drive and Waitrose is around half hour drive but the rest are easily accessible by car or bus, so i tend to chop and change.
ASDA is cheaper though and i dont mind the music they play!

sportinguista · 10/05/2018 08:54

I don't shop in our local one as it's situated in an area where there have been increasing amounts of street robberies and TBH they have reduced their vegetarian products to such an extent that it's not worth going, the fruit and veg is a bit rank too. I used to buy DS some clothes from there but always found it difficult to get his size. If I do want something I've seen advertised in there I go to another one across the city in a better area. But on the whole I tend to split between Aldi/Waitrose and a bit of Tesco plus other local shops. I'm not keen on Morrisons as I found the veggie choices very limited.

Windthebobbinup1982 · 10/05/2018 08:55

Asda.... ewww Confused You’d never get me crossing their threshold! The shame of been seen there gives me palpatations just thinking of it! Has to be Waitrose - I have dignity.

PickAChew · 10/05/2018 08:59

I happily pop into Asda when convenient, though we don't have one in our city, anyhow. They shelved plans to build a store opposite Tesco when the credit crunch hit.

I don't rate their meat at all, though, and most of their stores are too loud, too bright and too cluttered and absolute sensory hell.

Their doughnuts used to be lovely but are now shit.

Elphame · 10/05/2018 08:59

It's owned by Walmart. A really good reason for not using it.

pigmcpigface · 10/05/2018 08:59

I know that all supermarkets are a highly artificial environment, but there's something that feels particularly synthetic and plasticky about both Asda and Morrison. I think it's the amount of highly processed food they sell, and the prominence they give to it in their displays. I also find the sheer bloody size of their warehouses off-putting. It wastes so much time!!

I'm happy to shop at low end places (I regularly shop at both Lidl and Aldi, but prefer Aldi of the two).

NameChanger22 · 10/05/2018 09:00

I had a boyfriend once who was born and brought up in another country. He said English people are obsessed with supermarkets, and that's why everyone is fat.

PickAChew · 10/05/2018 09:03

AsDA was comparatively lovely, pre Walmart, when it was associated dairies. All the staff were partners, like Waitrose, iirc.

Wacadu · 10/05/2018 09:06

We alternate between Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrisons every week and I've had no issues with Asda.

In my opinion though, Sainsbury has gone downhill lately. Their range seems to have shrunk, the use-by dates aren't as long, and there are a lot of empty shelves. The clothes aren't as nice now either. Think we'll bypass it for now unless things improve.

BodgingThisMumThing · 10/05/2018 09:14

I always thought it was a bit shit, hated the meat, the veg went off super quick and I thought it was mostly “packet food”. Moved house and live close to one and get any essentials I need in there, their 3 for 10£ meat is fine when I’m skint especially the bacon. But I do still think it’s packet food and doesn’t do enough stuff for proper cooking. I usually shop at Tesco which I think is good quality and has what I need. Sainsbury’s is expensive and can’t find what I need in Morrisons quickly enough. Love Lidl though. I think each supermarket fits each person differently.

DiddimusStench · 10/05/2018 09:19

I live in the south. Nothing chavvy about it. I really like the clothes. The jeans especially!

Merryhobnobs · 10/05/2018 09:23

I hate ASDA. Everytime I go in one I am filled with rage within a few minutes (slight exaggeration but they do irritate me). I find the layout weird and things aren't where I would expect to find them. I feel like the 'flow' just goes against my nature and it just annoys me. I even felt the same as a young student. Would go on an Asda trip as a treat, this was before the prevalence of Lidl and Aldi and the Asda and the benefits of the clothes and cheaper products soon wore off and I got grumpy on every trip.

I am now a librarian. Maybe my moaning at the way asda is organised for all these years was a sign.

blinkowl · 10/05/2018 09:23

Asda's target market is working class, Sainsbury's is middle class.

That doesn't mean the quality is any different, necessarily - it's a marketing thing. Doesn't mean Asda's clientele is all WC or Sainsbury's is MC either.

(I shop at both!)

ginghamstarfish · 10/05/2018 09:23

Interesting to see the varied opinions here! Always thought Asda and Morrison's were both at the bottom of 'the list' but haven't been to either for a few years. I now live in a rural area with neither of them in reach. We have Sainsbury's a mile away, and while I think it's ok product wise, it is definitely more expensive here as it has no competition from the other major supermarkets. We do have a Lidl (which I like but can't get everything I need) and a small Co-op, but I order online from Tesco about once a month. I don't understand why Lidl and Aldi can't expand their ranges as they're so popular now.