I went to ASDA today. Bad boy?

[Thurston Garden]

After some serious local hype, it's official: emblazoned on a large banner by the A1 dual carriageway "ASDA - Christmas Shopping Comes To Dunbar". ASDA opened it's 20,000sqsf store on Monday.

I refuse to set foot in T*sco, so it was with some guilt that I crossed ASDA's threshold, out of curiosity of course....

I left £15 lighter (I did actually have a shopping list!) and in two minds whether I felt guilty or not.

I am generally well informed about the marketing/procurement/managerial/employment practices of the main supermarkets. I fully understand the impact ASDA will have on the local high street, but to be honest I stopped buying every day items at two HS shops due to the staff being unpleasant, almost down right rude. The Co therefore got most of our business - they seem to be the lesser evil!

I was (pleasantly?) surprised with ASDA today. Organic peanut butter cheaper than ordinary stuff at the Co, a large Organic range in general (something the Co lacks) organic milk (not at the Co) to mention just a few things I noticed.

I bought tatties from Tayside and leeks from just up the road (the trend seems to put the farmers name on the pack, or in somecases - when examining the chickens for hock burns! - the farmers face!). I have never noticed local leeks at the Co.

So I left the store with mixed feelings. I would be interested to hear other people's views on this and how they shop.

[Silver Ether]

phew ...glad its not only me...

I do a monthly shop at the dreaded T***o ... sorreeeeeeeeeee but its one of the places I can get gluten stuff from that I can afford. I also noticed a good range of uk veggies and they do the same with farmers pics..
I like to go to Waitrose if I can get there and when I have a bit more cash:roll: as they have local stuff where ever they can and its always really good quality.. I had some lovely mushrooms from Worcester BUT why do they have to sell them in a plastic container and wrapped in cling film ... whats wrong with a paper bag like the market ...and that is where I shop mostly for veg and other stuff.

Edited to say I only buy what I really need from supermarkets so my monthly shop isnt that big .. today was 54 pounds and that included a pair of much needed new cords..

[Thomzo]

I, too, shop at the Co-op. Mostly because it is the closest store to me and I sort of trust them. But there are a lot of things I can't get.

I used to go to Asda as it was on my way home from my old job but I haven't been since starting my new job as it's a bit out of the way now. Asda do seem to try. They have done some good things to be responsible.

I think we have to accept that the big four supermarkets are here to stay. If they can be encouraged to take a more responsible attitude then, in the long run, they can actually do something to help the planet.

Zoe

[ina]

I wouldn't condemn anybody for shopping where they have to... Fortunately, I don't get tempted too often - all the big ones are too far away anyway.

Btw, there are massive differences in the range the Co-ops have. All our local ones stock organic milk (but no cheaper than the village shop), but not a lot of other organic stuff. The Co-op at Alford, for example, has a much wider range. I get almost all my goods from either the NEEPS co-op (dry goods, beer etc), local farm shops and farmers' markets (veg, cheese etc), the village shops (milk, some staples like oatcakes - yes, they stock my favourite organic ones!), and one other health food shop that's a bit further away - so I only get there once every few months. And occasionaly Lidl's... (cat food, rye bread, some German stuff).

There's only one thing that I can get nowhere else but T***s, ASDA or Sainsbury: Quark. And I haven't mastered the art of making it myself yet. I can make something similar, but not quite the same... (But I manage to live without it!)

[Russian Doll]

i shop at the coop..but as two of my kids are on milk free/ dairy free diets then i have to go to the bigger stores..mainly asdas to buy the foods they need

[9ball]

I'm afraid I go to Asda fairly frequently as it's only just down the road. I always worry that the local veg has been sent to a central warehouse god knows how far from the farm and then sent back. I tend to use Asda or other supermarkets to get organic or free range meat when it's near the sell buy date and reduced - it's the only way I can really afford it.

[Karen_D]

As Ina says, no-one should be condemned for shopping where they have to. The last thing everyone needs is a guilt trip about things they can't avoid.

We are quite lucky to have a farmer's market and some independent shops. If I had to buy all my food from the local organic shop I could only afford to eat once a week (and why is their van often seen on Lidl's car park? ).

Wassail

Karen

[baldowrie]

no-one should be condemned for shopping where they have to

or want to!

[Annpan]

We do try to buy from independent shops and our monthly farmers market, we buy most of our meat from there as it is one of the few places I'll trust for ethical meat.

Asda's organic range is not independently certified, so I don't trust it, plus they are part of the wallmart group, and OH has seen bowling for columbine too many times, he thinks he is making a political point by not shopping there. (I do on occasion shop there, but I wouldn't expect quality)

Recently there was a study into the ethics of supermarkets. Co-op came out top (but our local one doesn't sell much organic stuff, and it is pricey for brands - yeo valley, innocent, etc)
Marks & Spencers and Sainsburys came joint second, we get affordable free range mayonnaise and fair trade coffee from Marks and go to Sainsburys for other supermarket shopping.

The trouble that I find with going to the smaller local retailers is that it can be difficult to budget - not really more expensive, just prices aren't always itemised on reciepts, and you don't know how much you actually paid for a dozen potatoes.

I also occasionally do an online shop, from Asda or T***o, though I feel guilty for doing it, it can be the easiest way (esspecially with a tot) to buy cat litter, washing powder, Tinned tomatoes, other bulky stuff we by in huge amount once every 6 months.

[Silver Ether]

I also occasionally do an online shop, from Asda or T***o, though I feel guilty for doing it, it can be the easiest way (esspecially with a tot) to buy cat litter, washing powder, Tinned tomatoes, other bulky stuff we by in huge amount once every 6 months.

been there done that ... its a shame that we are expected to do so many things now that we have to forsake some of our ways to fullfill teh role thats expected
I have found since cutting down on my childminding I have a lot more time and it does actually save us cash ... so the way I look at it I still earn my keep ...

[hamster]

I also rely on the supermarket for a lot of dried goods, as well as dairy products and occasionally vegetables (though I now get a veg box). I go to Waitrose, partly because it's the only one that's walkable, but also because I trust their sourcing a lot more than the other supermarkets'. Everything is also very good quality, and that considered, they aren't as expensive as you think they are. Sure, they don't have the ultra-budget ranges that Asda, Sainsbury's et al have, but I never buy those anyway, and like for like I think the price difference is minimal. Their lemons are cheaper than those at the local market in Oxford!!

I've thought about switching to a milkman, but don't really know about how to find one. I found a website where you put your postcode in to find your local milkman, but when I tried it with as many different postcodes as I could think of, it always came up with a particular large, national dairy - even when I tried with the same postcode as the independent milkman over in West Berkshire (who doesn't deliver over here)!! So I started to think it was a marketing tool for the dairy in question... I have heard good things about the prices Waitrose pay their dairy farmers, so I'm happy to buy from them, especially as they have real whole milk!

[Thurston Garden]

Asda's organic range is not independently certified, so I don't trust it

I checked quite a few of ASDA's organic range last night and all were Soil Association certified.

On the downside, we had their organic bagels toasted for breakfast and they were particularly droopy! Very difficult to eat. Untoasted they seem to be fine.

[Shirley]

I get almost all my goods from either the NEEPS co-op (dry goods, beer etc),

I've found that to be great - but then I would say that wouldn't I!!!

[Annpan]

Asda's organic range is not independently certified, so I don't trust it

I checked quite a few of ASDA's organic range last night and all were Soil Association certified.

On the downside, we had their organic bagels toasted for breakfast and they were particularly droopy! Very difficult to eat. Untoasted they seem to be fine.

I stand corrected.

The last time I got a home delivery, I ordered some organic meat, which definaetly wasn't independently certified. But that was 6 months ago so they must have changed.

I am a member of the soil association and they have information about organic standards that have to be complied with to be legally called organic, and the standards that soil association certification must meet, there is quite a difference, especially on animal welfare front, which is the reason I insist on organic. Here is the link

I'd certainly trust it if it is SA

As for bagels, nothing beats homemade bagels. I have a recipe if you like

[Thurston Garden]

Oh yes please Annpan! I can put it in my SSish recipe book

One think I have noticed about buying things from ASDA - our bin is full of packaging