Asda facts for kids
Logo used since 2002
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Asda House in Leeds, the supermarket's headquarters
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Trade name
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Asda |
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Formerly
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| Private | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 19 February 1949 in Knottingley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
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| Headquarters | Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
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Number of locations
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1,106 (2025) |
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Area served
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United Kingdom |
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Key people
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Allan Leighton (chairman) |
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| Brands | Leon Restaurants |
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| Revenue |  £21.9 billion (excluding fuel, 2023) |
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Operating income
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>£1 billion (2023) |
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Number of employees
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145,000 (2022) |
| Divisions |
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| Subsidiaries |
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Asda Stores Limited, known simply as Asda (pronounced "AZ-duh"), is a big British company. It runs many supermarkets and petrol stations. Its main office is in Leeds, England.
The company started in 1949 as Associated Dairies and Farm Stores. It grew a lot in the 1970s and 1980s. During the 1990s, Asda decided to focus only on its supermarkets.
In 1999, Walmart, a huge company from the USA, bought Asda for £6.7 billion. For many years, Asda was the second-largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. By 2014, it became the third largest. In January 2025, Asda's share of the UK market was 12.6 per cent.
Besides its supermarkets, Asda also offers other services. These include financial help through Asda Money and a mobile phone network called Asda Mobile.
In February 2021, the Issa brothers and TDR Capital bought Asda. Walmart still owns a small part of the company. This deal happened after another company, Sainsbury's, was not allowed to buy Asda by the government.
Contents
- Asda's Story
- Types of Asda Stores
- Asda Brands and Services
- How Asda Gets Products to Stores
- Working at Asda
- Asda's Marketing
- Market Share
- Awards
- See also
Asda's Story
How it Started
The Asquith family were butchers in Knottingley, West Yorkshire. In the 1920s, they had seven butcher shops. Peter and Fred Asquith, who were sons in the family, later helped start Asda.
At the same time, dairy farmers in West Riding joined together. They formed a company called J. W. Hindell Dairy Farmers Ltd. In 1949, this company became Associated Dairies and Farm Stores Ltd.
Growing in the 1960s and 1970s
In 1963, the Asquith brothers turned an old cinema into a self-service supermarket. They called it 'Queens'. They opened another store in an old market. Their next store was built just for a supermarket.
In 1965, the Asquith brothers joined with Associated Dairies. They formed a new company called Asda. The name comes from Asquith and Dairies.
By 1967, Asda had a store in Billingham. By 1969, Noel Stockdale bought out the Asquith brothers. He became the chairman of the company.
Asda offered large, low-cost supermarkets. They bought three struggling US-owned stores in the mid-1960s. These stores were in Preston, Lancashire, Cross Gates, Leeds and West Bridgford. Asda made these stores very successful.
In the 1970s, Asda had over 30 stores in northern England. They started opening stores in the south, like in Plymouth and Gosport in 1977. In 1978, Asda bought a company called Allied Carpets.
In 1982, the first Asda store in London opened in Park Royal. More London stores followed quickly.
Challenges and Changes in the 1980s and 1990s
In 1984, Asda started selling its own branded products. In 1985, Asda joined with MFI (Mullard Furniture Industries). The group was then called Asda-MFI Group plc.
Asda built its main office, "Asda House," in 1988. The Prime Minister at the time, Margaret Thatcher, officially opened it.
By the end of the 1990s, Asda's own clothing range, 'Asdale', was replaced. A new clothing brand called George was launched.
Almost Going Bust and New Plans
Asda bought many large stores from a rival company in 1989. This made Asda much bigger. However, the company borrowed a lot of money to do this. By 1991, Asda was in serious financial trouble. It had over £1 billion in debt.
Asda also lost customers because its prices became too high. The company was close to going out of business. To fix this, Asda changed its leaders. Archie Norman became the chief executive.
Asda then raised money and cut its debts. In May 1992, Asda lowered its prices again. They also cut over 500 management jobs. By 1995, Asda was making a profit again. This is seen as one of the most successful turnarounds in British retail history.
Archie Norman became chairman in 1996. He started to make Asda stores look like Walmart stores. Allan Leighton became the chief executive. In 1998, Asda began opening larger 'Hypermarket' stores. These stores also had pharmacies and cafes.
Asda also talked about joining with other retailers. In 1999, they almost merged with Kingfisher plc. This would have created the UK's largest multi-category retailer.
The Walmart Years (2000s and 2010s)
The merger with Kingfisher was stopped when Walmart offered more money. Walmart bought Asda for £6.7 billion on 26 July 1999. After the takeover, Archie Norman left the company. Allan Leighton became the new chairman.
In 2005, Andy Bond became Asda's chief executive. In the same year, Asda opened stores in Northern Ireland. They bought 12 former Safeway stores from Morrisons.
In December 2007, Asda and other retailers admitted to fixing prices for dairy products. This happened between 2002 and 2003. It cost customers around £270 million. Asda said they regretted what happened. They were fined £18.21 million for their part in it.
In August 2009, Walmart sold Asda to its own investment company. This was part of a "group restructuring." Asda still remained under Walmart's control.
Advertising Rules
Asda has had some issues with its advertising. In 2009, an advert claimed Asda had "2955 products cheaper." But customers could not easily check this claim. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the advert was misleading.
In 2010, an advert for "The big Asda Rollback" was also found misleading. It suggested prices were lower than other supermarkets. But it did not explain how the comparisons were made.
In 2011, another advert claimed Asda was "always 10% cheaper." The ASA ruled this was misleading. It gave the impression that Asda was always the lowest on price.
Growing More
In May 2010, Andy Clarke became Asda's CEO. In the same month, Asda bought the Netto UK supermarket chain. This deal was worth £778 million.
In February 2011, Asda bought six stores from Focus DIY. Most of these became supermarkets.
In April 2012, Asda launched a grocery shopping app for phones. This app helped customers make shopping lists. It also let them scan barcodes for more information.
In February 2013, tests found horsemeat in some meat products. Asda's beef bolognese sauce was one of them. Asda removed the sauce from its shelves. They said they shared customers' "anger and outrage."
In August 2013, Asda removed a greeting card that was offensive to the transgender community.
In June 2016, Sean Clarke became the new CEO. He was replaced by Roger Burnley in January 2018.
Sainsbury's Merger Plan Stopped
In April 2018, Sainsbury's and Walmart talked about joining Sainsbury's and Asda. This would have created the biggest supermarket chain in the UK. Walmart would have owned 42% of the new company.
The plan was looked at very closely by the government. They worried it would make prices go up for shoppers. They also worried it would make competition unfair for other retailers. On 25 April 2019, the government stopped the merger. They said it would increase prices for customers. Sainsbury's then gave up on the merger.
The 2020s
In October 2020, Asda opened its first sustainability store. It had refill stations and recycling areas.
In December 2020, hidden cameras filmed bad treatment of turkeys at farms supplying Asda. A worker was suspended, and an investigation started. In December 2021, another video showed bad treatment of piglets. Asda said they take animal welfare seriously and investigated.
In December 2024, Asda tried out electronic labels on shelves. These labels could update prices very quickly.
In May 2025, Asda stopped getting supplies from a pig farm. This was because of videos showing abuse against pigs there.
New Owners: Issa Brothers and TDR Capital
In February 2021, Mohsin Issa, Zuber Issa and TDR Capital bought Asda. The company was valued at £6.8 billion. Walmart still kept a small part of Asda.
In October 2023, Asda bought many petrol stations from EG Group. They also bought the fast-food chain Leon.
In September 2024, Lord Rose became the new CEO. Mohsin Issa kept his ownership but stepped down from running the company.
On 1 November 2024, Zuber Issa sold his share in Asda to TDR Capital. This made TDR Capital the main owner of Asda.
In early November 2024, Asda asked staff to work in the office more often. They also cut some head office jobs. This was to try and improve the supermarket's performance.
On 25 November 2024, Allan Leighton became the chairman. He was known for helping Asda before. Asda's market share had dropped from 15.1% to 12.6% in five years.
In early 2025, Asda changed how it pays back some of its debts. This means they have more time to pay.
New Look for Asda
On 16 May 2024, Asda launched a new look for its brand. This included a new logo, new fonts, and new colours. Their new slogan is "That's More Like It". The new look is seen as more fun and friendly.
Store Upgrades
On 30 May 2024, Asda announced a £50 million plan to update 170 of its stores. This work was finished by late November 2024.
The larger stores got new features like seasonal aisles and food-to-go areas. They also got new flooring and lighting. Some stores got new George clothing departments.
The other 120 stores were updated to use the new Asda brand look.
In March 2025, Asda said its profits might drop. This is because they plan to cut prices and hire more staff. The chairman, Allan Leighton, said Asda has a lot of money to help it improve. He thinks it will take up to five years to turn Asda around.
Types of Asda Stores
Asda Supercentres
After Walmart took over, many "Asda Walmart Supercentres" opened. These are very large stores. Since 2006, new Supercentres are just called Asda Supercentre.
The first Supercentre opened in Patchway, Bristol, in 2000. The first one in Scotland opened in Livingston in 2001.
The Bletchley, Milton Keynes Supercentre is the biggest. It opened in November 2005. It has a huge sales area of over 120,000 square feet. As of January 2021, there are 32 Supercentres.
Asda Superstores
Asda superstores are large supermarkets. They sell a bit less non-food items than Supercentres. As of January 2021, there are 342 superstores. Most have a petrol station and places to eat, like cafes. Some even have McDonald's restaurants.
Asda Supermarket
In May 2010, Asda bought 193 UK stores from Netto. The government made them sell 47 of these stores. The rest became Asda Supermarket stores. These are smaller than 25,000 square feet. As of January 2021, there are 207 supermarkets.
Asda Living
In October 2003, Asda launched a new type of store called Asda Living. These stores only sell non-food items. This includes clothes, electronics, toys, and beauty products. They also have a coffee shop called Living Cafe. The first store opened in Walsall. As of January 2021, there are 33 Asda Living stores.
George Stores
In 2004, Asda opened standalone George clothing stores. The first one was in Preston. But in 2008, all these stores closed. This was because the rent was too high.
In 2011, Asda planned to open a few pilot George stores again. In January 2012, they agreed to open George stores in other countries. These included Jersey, Guernsey, and the Middle East.
In May 2025, Asda brought back standalone George stores. The first new one opened in Leeds. Asda plans to change all former Asda Living stores into George stores. These new stores will also have a rebranded "Asda Kitchen Café".
Asda Petrol
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In 2012, Asda tried out new standalone petrol stations. These are not attached to a main Asda store. They have a small shop and allow customers to pick up online orders. The trial was successful.
In 2014, Asda announced they would open more of these. In February 2015, they bought 15 more petrol stations. Asda was the first supermarket in the UK to sell petrol in 1967. As of June 2018, Asda has 319 petrol stations. Most are in the car parks of its stores.
Asda On the Move / Asda Express
In October 2020, Asda launched a new type of small shop at petrol stations. These are called 'Asda On the Move'. The first one opened in Walsall. By April 2023, there were 150 of them.
In November 2022, Asda opened its first 'Asda Express' convenience stores. These were in Sutton Coldfield and Tottenham Hale. After buying more petrol stations, the number of these stores grew a lot. All 'Asda On the Move' stores have now been renamed Asda Express.
Asda Brands and Services
Just Essentials by Asda
Just Essentials by Asda is a brand of low-cost products. It used to be called Asda Smartprice. It was launched in 2022 to help customers with rising living costs.
George Clothing
Asda has its own clothing brand called George. It started in 1989 and was fully launched in 1990. George sells fashionable clothes at good prices. Walmart also sells the George brand in other countries.
George is part of a plan to make clothing more sustainable. This means reducing the impact of clothes on the environment. The brand is named after George Davies, who was its first chief designer.
In 2005, Asda said George was a £1.75 billion business. George is one of the biggest clothing retailers in the UK. Asda was the first supermarket to sell wedding dresses.
Asda Mobile
Asda also has a mobile phone network called Asda Mobile. It started in April 2007. It used to work with EE, but in 2021, it moved to Vodafone.
Asda Money
Asda Money offers financial services. These include car insurance, credit cards, and travel money. Asda works with other companies to provide these services. Many stores have a person who helps promote these products.
Medicine
Many larger Asda stores have a pharmacy. In July 2020, Asda started a virtual doctor service in some pharmacies. Patients can talk to a doctor remotely without an appointment.
Asda Radio
Asda Radio is the music station played in Asda superstores. It started broadcasting live on 7 September 1991. It is listened to by over 18 million people each week. In 2018, Asda FM was relaunched as Asda Radio.
Asda Rewards
Asda Rewards is a loyalty program that started in August 2022. Customers can earn "Asda Pounds" by buying certain items. They can also earn cashback by using an Asda Money credit card.
The app is available on phones. By April 2024, Asda Rewards had 6 million users. They saved a total of £400 million in cashback. Customers can turn their cashback into vouchers to use in stores or online.
In December 2022, some customers had problems with missing cashback. Asda then added a phone number requirement for signing up.
In September 2024, Asda announced it would donate money to primary schools. This is based on how much customers spend using Asda Rewards.
In February 2025, Asda changed the reward scheme. They removed "Star Products" which gave 10% cashback. This change was not popular with most customers.
How Asda Gets Products to Stores
Asda has 25 distribution centres across the UK. These are places where products are stored and sent out to stores. Some of these centres are run by another company called Wincanton PLC.
In September 2021, Asda announced a trial of self-driving delivery vans in London. This trial started in early 2022. The vans have a safety driver. Asda wants to use this technology to improve online grocery deliveries.
Working at Asda
Asda has been named one of the "Best companies to work for." It offers staff a 15% discount on most items.
In 2006, Asda was fined £850,000. This was for offering staff a pay rise to give up their union agreement. There were some disagreements between Asda management and the GMB union. But they reached an agreement later that year.
In 2013, many Asda workers had a tax problem. This was because of how Asda's payroll system worked. Workers were paid 14 times a year instead of 13 every 20 years. This meant they paid less tax than they should have. They then received demands for money from the tax office.
In 2016, Asda faced a big equal pay dispute. Lower-paid shop staff, mostly women, said they were paid less than men in distribution depots. In March 2021, the Supreme Court agreed with the employees. This means they can now take their case to a special court. This case could lead to about £500 million in payments to employees.
Asda's Marketing
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Ad Campaigns
In the 'Asda price' campaign, customers tap their trouser pocket twice. This makes a 'chinking' sound. It suggests that Asda's low prices leave money in their pockets. This campaign started in 1977. Many famous people have been "tappers" in these adverts.
From 1981 to 1985, Asda used the slogan "All Together Better." In 1989, they used the song "Perfect" with the slogan 'It 'Asda be Asda'. When the 'Asda Price' slogan came back in 1992, they added "Pocket the Difference."
In August 2005, a rival supermarket, Tesco, complained about Asda's claim. Asda said it was the cheapest supermarket. The Advertising Standards Agency told Asda to stop using this claim.
For Christmas 2007, Asda brought back the "That's Asda price" slogan. In 2008, they used a "Why Pay More?" campaign.
In the "rollback" campaign, a computer-generated smiley face would bounce around. It would knock down prices as customers watched.
In January 2024, Asda started the Aldi & Lidl Price Match campaign. This aimed to match prices of hundreds of Asda products to Aldi and Lidl. This campaign ended in January 2025.
In January 2025, Asda brought back the "Rollback" campaign. This aimed to cut prices on over 4,000 products. The 'Asda Price' campaign was also reintroduced at the same time.
Energy Drinks
In January 2018, Asda was one of the first supermarkets to stop selling energy drinks to people under 16.
Helping Charities
Asda supports several charities through its stores. These include:
- BBC Children in Need – a charity appeal by the BBC.
- Breast Cancer Care – a charity for women's cancer research.
- Everyman – a charity for men's cancer research.
- Asda Foundation – a charity that supports local causes chosen by Asda store workers.
Asda's share of the supermarket market has changed over time. It was highest in 2012 at 17.6%. Since then, it has been falling.
| Date | Market share |
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| January 2025 | 12.6% |
| November 2024 | 12.5% |
| September 2024 | 12.6% |
| July 2024 | 12.0% |
| June 2024 | 12.8% |
| April 2024 | 12.6% |
| January 2024 | 13.6% |
| September 2023 | 13.8% |
| April 2023 | 13.3% |
| September 2022 | 14.1% |
| June 2021 | 13.9% |
| June 2020 | 14.1% |
| June 2019 | 14.9% |
| April 2018 | 15.5% |
| November 2015 | 16.4% |
| November 2013 | 17.2% |
| November 2012 | 17.6% |
| May 2010 | 16.8% |
Awards
- March 2009: Voted Innovative Employer of the Year at the Oracle Retail Week Awards.
See also
In Spanish: Asda para niños
