Asda's Just Essentials range has been in the news for the wrong reasons recently. First there was fury from shoppers over the supermarket's bright yellow design of their budget range, over claims it gave "poverty markers" to customers, and, now, a weekly comparison shop has highlighted price hikes in the newly launched range.
The supermarket giant's rebranded budget range, which was previously known as Smart Price, includes a range of products from fruit, veg and salad, fresh and chilled and frozen items to store cupboard essentials. During its launch period, Asda said: "Just Essentials by Asda comprises of 293 products, 50% more than the Smart Price range it is replacing, but will continue to offer customers the same great value they know and love."
However, Manchester Evening News (M.E.N.) conducts a weekly shopping comparison of basics like milk and bread, and found some prices were up this week on the Just Essentials range. The publication has been monitoring the cost of eight products at supermarkets since March. It said that the shop reported for Sunday, August 21, showed price increases on Just Essentials teabags (up from 25p for a pack of 40 to 28p) and coffee (up from 75p for 100g to 83p).
