Asda is encouraging shoppers to “take a fresh look” at its offer, by launching a major customer experience drive aimed at bringing customers back into stores.
It includes “one of its biggest” range refreshes in recent years, a major upgrade of its fresh and frozen aisles – including the return of greengrocer colleagues to stores – as well as a swathe of additional price cuts and loyalty enhancements.
Allan Leighton is rolling the dice in an attempt to address Asda’s freefalling market share. Despite the decline slowing over the start of the year, sales fell by a further 2.4% last month.
The changes are “designed to reward customers for their loyalty and encourage those who shop elsewhere to choose Asda again”, the supermarket said. It wanted to introduce improvements customers can see “as soon as they enter the store” in the categories that they shop most often.
Among the most noticeable changes, will be a complete revamp of Asda’s fruit & veg section in stores, which have been enhanced with new “clearer” signage and new fixtures. Asda is also bringing back dedicated greengrocer colleagues to ensure availability but also support shoppers to find produce.
The supermarket has also renewed its Asda Fresh Promise, and pledges to give shoppers money back if they’re not 100% happy with the quality on offer. It’s also going to begin handing out free pieces of fruit to children to eat while they shop across 426 of its superstores.
‘Take a Fresh Look’ will also see major enhancements to Asda’s range, with 400 new products set to be rolled out to stores.
The majority – 230 – are in the frozen category, which Asda said has been “transformed”. It includes the addition of new brands like Crosta Mollica, as well as own label lines like a Melt in the Middle burger range and hot wings.
Like with fruit and veg, frozen aisles have been given a “clearer layout”, better signage and will give prominence to the bestselling lines.
Asda aims to better harness its Rewards loyalty programme to help drive footfall in frozen, fresh and general merchandise, by rolling out a suite of new loyalty only promotions and “missions”. It includes offers like spend £12 on frozen and get £2 off, spend £20 on outdoor living and save £4, and £10 off BBQ, BBQ accessories and BBQ fuel when £50 is spent.
“We know many customers are making careful choices when they shop and our job is to do even more to support them,” said Asda chief customer officer Rachel Eyre.
“These changes offer greater value and choice in areas they shop the most and improve the in-store shopping experience. They’re about rewarding customers for their loyalty, as well as encouraging those who haven’t been to Asda for a while to take a fresh look.
”We’re confident they’ll see the difference straight away,” Eyre added.
Asda wants to make value ‘easier’ to spot
Alongside the physical and loyalty changes, Asda aims to once again reiterate its value credentials, as Leighton chases his aim of being 5%-10% cheaper than its big four rivals.
“Hundreds” of new products have passed through its Rollback cycle, and are now at a new lower Asda Price. It includes 500g beef mince, which has dropped by 5% to £3.25; Kit Kats, which have dropped by 47p to £3 for eight; as well as 410g tins of Asda baked beans, which have fallen by 7% to 39p.
New £1 and £2 POS roundels will also be introduced in store and online to “make standout value easier to spot”, Asda said.
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