Asda review

Asda previously wanted its customers to 'get the Asda price feeling' - but does it currently offer value for money and is its food fresh?

In the annual Which? supermarkets survey, 460 people who had shopped in Asda stores, and a further 243 who had ordered online, rated the retailer on everything from queuing time and food quality to value for money and delivery slot availability. 

This enabled us to work out star ratings for different factors related to in-store and online shopping with Asda, as well as an overall customer score.

Are Asda supermarkets any good?

Asda stores put in an uninspiring performance

Asda has performed poorly in our survey again this year, coming third from bottom. The only supermarkets that scored lower were Morrisons and Co-op, which was the worst-ranked supermarket for the third year in a row.

Shoppers were most impressed with Asda's range of products, awarding it four out of five stars. 

Despite Asda often being named one of the cheapest major supermarkets in our monthly supermarket price comparison, survey respondents were clearly aware that price and value don't necessarily mean the same thing as it only scored two stars for value for money. 

It also received two stars for the availability of its stock and an average three stars on all other measures.

One customer with mixed views said: 'At peak times the checkout queue is too long. Asda has the best products available and best prices, but it is hard to find helpful staff.' 

Another unimpressed customer said: 'Sometimes things are out of stock. Prices have gone up a lot recently to the point where some products seem a bit of a rip-off.'

• Find out more: see how the big players compare in our guide to the best and worst supermarkets

Is Asda's online delivery service any good?

Asda fails to impress online

Asda came joint-sixth along with Amazon Fresh and Aldi, so it wasn't the lowest-scoring online supermarket this year. Morrisons sits at the bottom of our table. 

The supermarket's online service was once again one of the worst for stock availability, receiving just two out of five stars. It also received a poor two-star rating for its choice of substitute items – one customer said they received dog chews instead of the chicken fillets they ordered.

Survey respondents did think some aspects of shopping with Asda online were good, though, awarding its range of products, the ease of using its website or app, the availability of collection/delivery slots and its customer service at collection/delivery four stars.

One customer said: 'Sometimes they don’t have the products I want and they change the product with something not close to the original product.' They thought Asda's online shopping service was generally good though.

Another broadly satisfied customer said: 'Saves me time, deliveries are good and on time, friendly helpful staff. Sometimes products have a short shelf life and some products are not as fresh as they could be so need to be used up quickly. Substitutes are usually good and appropriate.'

• Find out more: supermarket price comparison: which is the UK's cheapest grocer?

How fresh is the food in Asda's deliveries? 

In August 2021, we went undercover to find out how the different supermarkets compare for freshness, using a team of mystery shoppers to order more than 1,000 groceries in the first – and biggest – comparison of its kind.

Asda came second of the six major online supermarkets for freshness, with items lasting 10 and a half days on average. Despite coming second, however, Asda did deliver a pack of bacon rashers on its use-by date. It also sent minced beef that didn't look fresh enough to eat.

• Find out more: which online supermarket delivers the freshest groceries?

Asda in the news

Asda opened its first standalone Asda Express store in November 2022 in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands and another one in Tottenham Hale, London, the following month. It aims to open 300 more by the end of 2026 as part of its strategy to become the UK's second largest supermarket after Tesco.

In August 2022, Asda announced that it would be rolling out its first customer loyalty rewards scheme, which uses a smartphone app, to all of its stores after launching it as a pilot in October 2021. 

In March 2022, Asda launched a trial of a 'personal shopper' service in stores in Bristol and Leeds, in partnership with on-demand delivery platform buymie. This allows customers to communicate with a personal shopper in store to pick their groceries then have them delivered in as little as an hour. Customers place orders via an app.

• Find out more: what supermarkets are doing to help with the cost of living

Which? Affordable Food For All campaign

Which? has launched an Affordable Food For All campaign after it found millions of families are skipping meals to survive the cost of living crisis. 

In an innovative new study, undertaken with researchers from the Consumer Data Research Centre at the University of Leeds, we've identified 50 of the most at-risk areas for finding affordable food in the UK.

We're calling on supermarkets to commit to clear pricing, better access to budget ranges that enable healthy choices and more offers for those who need them most.

• Do you want to see supermarkets take action? Sign our petition