Asda has announced it is launching a new and larger value range and will axe its Smart Price range and replace it with new Just Essentials by Asda products. It said the new budget range will comprise 300 products, a 50% increase on the current Smart Price range.
Just Essentials products will initially arrive in stores from May and be rolled out to replace Smart Price over the summer. Asda said it has designed the new range with consideration for customer concerns over the cost of living crisis.
Mohsin Issa, co-owner of Asda, said: “We understand that customers are increasingly worried about the cost of living and want help to keep their grocery bills in check, whilst still being able to buy healthy and nutritious food for their families. Our new Just Essentials range has been specifically designed with this in mind, combing our lowest prices with a much larger and more diverse range of great value products to meet all household needs.”
Emma Gill of the MEN went to Asda armed with £25 to see what would happen if she swapped every item in her trolley for the Smart Price alternative - ahead of the coming change.
She said: "It's easy to overlook the essentials you buy week-in week-out, which if you bought these basic Smart Price versions, would make little difference to the overall taste of your meals - but a massive difference to your bank balance.I'm talking about the 1kg of rice for 45p, 15 eggs for £1.18, 500g pack of pasta for 29p and tuna for 59p a tin.
"That's not to mention the whopping bags of potatoes, 2.5kg for 91p, and carrots, 1.5kg for 45p, from its budget fruit, veg and meat range. Those prices are pretty much on a par with Aldi's Everyday Essentials wonky veg and we all know how much people rave about those.
"You can save on meat too, with chicken breasts costing around £3.38 for a large 620g pack and bacon £1.25 for 300g."
There are savings to be made if you're willing to sacrifice your fancy labels (Image: Manchester Family / MEN)
She added: "Do you really care that much about your brand of loo roll or cleaner to splash out on something that's quite literally going down the toilet? My haul of products from Asda's budget ranges cost me just over £25 and I'll be honest, it made me feel a bit of a fool.
"A fool for poo-pooing these budget brands for so many years without considering which items I could so easily swap into my weekly shop without sacrificing quality or taste.
"From now on, it'll be the 30p toilet cleaner going down the pan and not my hard-earned cash. It's all about playing it Smart."
It's not just groceries where you can cut back (Image: Manchester Family / MEN)
Here's the full list of products in my Asda budget shop
- Smart Price Dishwasher Tablets 30pk £1.50
- ASDA Farm Stores Round Lettuce 42p
- Smart Price Eggs 15pk £1.18
- Smart Price Toilet Cleaner Pine 750ml 30p
- Smart Price Rimblock Pine each 20p
- Smart Price Toilet Roll 6 Double Rolls £1.93
- Smart Price Long Grain Rice 1kg 45p
- Smart Price All Purpose Cleaning Cloths 10pk 35p
- Beef Stock Cubes 12x10g 55p
- Smart Price Lemonade 2l 23p
- Smart Price Pasta Shapes 500g 29p
- Smart Price Lightly Salted Sharing Tortilla Chips 180g 43p
- Smart Price Refuse Sacks 75 Litres 45pk £1.07
- Smart Price Sponge Scourers 8pk 40p
- Smart Price Peach Slices in Light Syrup 411g 31p
- Smart Price Tuna Chunks in Brine 145g 59p
- Farm Stores White Potatoes 2.5kg 91p
- Smart Price Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g x 2 56p
- Smart Price Ready Salted Multipack Crisps 12x18g 93p
- Smart Price Cling Film 60x300 60p
- Smart Price No Added Sugar Double Strength Orange Squash 750ml 41p
- Smart Price Garlic Bread Baguette 170g 32p
- Smart Price Salted Butter 250g £1.45
- Farm Stores Carrots 1.5kg 45p
- Smart Price Coleslaw 300g 37p
- Smart Price Wafer Thin Cooked Ham Slices 400g £1.59
- Farm Stores Chicken Breast Fillet Portions 0.56kg £1.89
- Smart Price Mature White Cheddar 825g £3.65
- Farm Stores Unsmoked Back Bacon 300g £1.25
- Square Cut Medium White Bread 800g 59p
Total £25.17
