Asda has increased its hourly rate for store-based workers from today, (July 5) following a previous rise in April. On April 1, the supermarket chain boosted the hourly rate for workers outside the M25 from £12.60 to £12.71.

Those working inside the M25 saw hourly pay jump from £13.82 to £13.93. The increases were the first part of a two-step pay uplift, with the second increase coming into effect from today. The hourly rate has now increased to £13.10 for those outside the M25, and to £14.35 for those working within it. Asda, which has more than 1,000 stores across the country, said at the time of the phased increase announcement that it would result in 110,000 hourly‑paid retail colleagues receiving a 4% above‑inflation pay rise.

The pay reward represented an £80million investment, the chain said.

James Goodman, chief people officer, Asda, said at the time: “I’m pleased we’ve been able to give them an above‑inflation pay award and invest in this way. I’d also like to thank them for their continued hard work and commitment to making Asda better every day.”

Asda is among a number of other supermarkets that announced increases to the hourly rate for shop floor workers to retain and attract staff, as cost-of-living pressures continue to hit British households.

For example, Sainsbury’s brought in an above-inflation pay increase of 5% for hourly paid workers from March, with hourly pay rising to £13.23 per hour nationally, whilst in London it rose to £14.54 per hour.

In London, entry-level store workers saw their pay upped to £14.80 per hour, while the hourly rate for experienced staff can rise up to £15.35.

The following month, Store Assistants working at Aldi’s UK branches also saw their pay boosted (to £13.50 per hour nationally, with those working inside in the M25 getting £14.88).

These pay rates rise to £14.47 and £15.20 respectively based on length of service. Others major chains improved pay included Lidl, Primark, Morrisons, Waitrose, and Tesco.

Fans of a British beer brand have expressed their disappointment after it was pulled from supermarket shelves. The range of pale ales, IPAs and stouts was sold at Asda, as well as in smaller and independent alcohol retailers. However, after the brewery went bust, supply to UK supermarkets has been paused. Overtone Brewing Co., based in Scotland, announced it entered liquidation last week. 

The company became known for its unique craft beers, packaged in eye-catching designs. The brand is set to be taken over by a new owner, but it has paused beer supply to supermarkets and smaller shops for the time being. A notice was published in The Gazette on Tuesday, revealing that liquidators were appointed on February 13. George Dylan Lafferty, an insolvency practitioner of Begbies Traynor, has been appointed Provisional Liquidator of Overtone Brewing Ltd, the notice revealed. 

Fans and suppliers have shared their disappointment in the news. One shop that sold Overtone beer, The Wee Beer Shop, shared a post on social media about the liquidation news. 

“What a shame – they produced some of the best IPAs in the UK a few years ago,” the post reads. 

“If you have a hankering to try one last beer, their latest – Stovies – is as good as some of the ones they brewed in the past. I still have cans for sale.”

Another customer shared: “Awful news, I loved Overtone. Normally, they’re the only decent craft on draft down in Ayr.”

No formal closure of the brewery has been announced, but it has been confirmed that it’s pausing beer supply to supermarkets and off-licences across the country, with no return date announced. 

When searched on Google, it is labelled as temporarily closed. “Overtone is undergoing liquidation, but a new owner will continue to operate the brewery and brand in the future,” a spokesperson said.

Another customer called it “awful news”, while another simply said: “Sad times”. 

Liquidation is a legal process to help a company sell off its assets. Most of the time, the final result is the closure of the company and a cease in trading and/or operations. 

The money raised from selling off these assets is then used to pay creditors when they can no longer otherwise pay. 

A major UK supermarket has been fined over £500,000 for selling out-of-date food in one of its stores. Tubs of hummus, which were 16 days past their expiry date, were among 41 items sold despite being out of date.

Asda was ordered to pay £507,767 after pleading guilty to five offences under the Food Safety Act on Thursday, January 29. Trading Standards found a number of out-of-date food items were being sold in the store on Old Mill Lane, Barnsley, including pizzas and curries. Officials warned the items “could have put the public’s health at risk”.

It is illegal for shops to sell food that has passed its expiry date. However, food can legally be sold past its “best-before” date provided it is still of good quality.

A Barnsley Trading Standards spokesperson said: “While improvements have been made since these offences, including a new checking system, retraining and increased auditing in the store, the sizeable £100,000 fine per offence sends a clear message that non-compliance never pays.”

Barnsley Council’s public health spokesperson Cllr Wendy Cain added: “We’re committed to keeping our communities safe, a responsibility we take very seriously.

“We expect businesses of all sizes to only sell safe food, and this significant result sends a clear message that we will always put people’s health and safety first, taking action where businesses fail to comply with legislation or respond to warnings.”

An Asda spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that some out-of-date products were found on sale at our Barnsley store in 2024.  This fell short of the standards our customers rightly expect and that we hold ourselves to.

“In the time since these products were found, we have introduced a new date code checking process in every Asda store to ensure the freshest products are always available for customers to buy.”

Asda is opening 20 new Express stores as the supermarket expands into new territory. The new shops will see the retail giant grow its footprint in high-footfall urban areas, residential locations, and transport hubs, where bosses say it traditionally had limited presence. Express stores typically stock up to 3,000 branded and own-label products, including “top up” shops for essential items like milk and bread, on-the-go lunch or items to cook dinner from scratch.

The company said: “The combination of great choice and prices that are notably lower than competitor convenience stores has struck a chord with shoppers, resulting in sales at Asda Express sites outperforming the wider convenience market. This rollout marks a return to standalone Express store openings and builds on the successful integration of 469 convenience and fuel sites acquired from The Co-op and EG Group.”

The store in Ferndown, Dorset, is the latest one to open its doors.

In October, the branches at Tower Bridge, Greenwich, Limehouse Station, Harringay, Deptford, Whetstone and the former Arsenal FC club shop at Finsbury Park station commenced trading.

Full list of new stores

• Castleford – Holywell Lane

• London – Tower Bridge

• Greenwich – South Street

• Limehouse Station

• Harringay – Green Lanes

• Stoke – Station Road

• Finsbury Park Station

• Deptford – Landings

• Botley – Boorley Green

• Whetstone – High Road

• Ferndown – Wimborne Road

• Tottenham Hale West

• Crystal Palace – Anerley Road

• Deepcut – Bridge Road

• Harrow – Headstone Drive

• Manchester – Square Gardens

• Liverpool – Parliament St

• Horncastle

• Wigan – Mesnes Road

• Heath Hayes – Hednesford Road

• Cadishead – Liverpool Road

• Bradford – Toller Lane

In October, Joseph Sutton, vice president Asda Express, foodservice and fuel, said: “We’re thrilled to be opening nine new Express stores this week, including seven in London – an area where we have traditionally had less of a presence in convenience.

“These openings are a key part of our strategy to bring Asda’s unbeatable value to more urban areas and residential communities across the UK.

“We know customers have looked forward to these stores opening for a long time, and we’re delighted to welcome them in and offer outstanding value across their favourite products.”

Asda is preparing to implement stricter measures regarding sick leave as part of renewed turnaround initiatives.

The under-pressure supermarket giant has formulated more stringent disciplinary policies during an ongoing consultation process, heightening the likelihood of staff dismissal for taking successive periods of illness-related absence.

Under current arrangements, employees exceeding a 3 per cent absence threshold trigger a review process, followed by two informal stages before management initiates formal disciplinary proceedings.

Workers’ absence histories are currently wiped clean after six months under existing regulations, the Telegraph reported. Nevertheless, Asda is now considering extending this period to 12 months, amplifying the probability of employees facing punishment through an escalating disciplinary framework that could ultimately result in termination.

The consultation has generated anxiety throughout Asda’s workforce, particularly amongst those managing mental health conditions and disabilities, according to reports. No alterations have been implemented during the consultation phase, which could impact over 150,000 staff members across 1,200 outlets. One source revealed: “In reality, it means you will think twice about taking sick leave as you will be faced with disciplinary action far quicker than you would have done before.”

Another insider suggested it represented Asda’s attempt to “put the scarers on people” during a period when employee morale remains depressed. “Loads of people are worried about losing their jobs,” remarked one worker. “In my eyes, it is a bad decision.”

This development emerges as Asda endeavours to restructure the enterprise.

Allan Leighton, the retailer’s executive chairman, who was appointed last year to spearhead a revival attempt, has seen Asda’s share of the grocery market drop to a record low of 11.6pc. This is a significant decrease from 14.6pc in 2021, when Asda was purchased by private equity firm TDR Capital and Mohsin and Zuber Issa in a debt-driven £6.8bn transaction.

Years of cost-cutting have led to a steep decline in the company’s performance, including a drastic reduction in staff hours and the loss of hundreds of jobs. Mr Leighton has pledged to reinstate hours, although some may interpret this latest clampdown as an effort to cut costs – with staff potentially less likely to take sick leave for fear of repercussions.

An Asda spokesperson stated: “We are consulting with elected colleague representative groups on a proposal to adjust our short-term absence policy. This proposal is at an early stage and was shared in confidence with these groups as part of the consultation process. No decisions have been made, and no changes have been implemented.”

The new year is just two months away and with brands restructuring across the country, shops are not only closing but opening too, with several expected to hit Britain’s high streets over the coming weeks.

A variety of supermarket giants, clothing retailers and even gyms are set to launch new stores in the next two months. JD Gym is among those expanding with the launch of its 100th branch penned in for November. 

Lidl has made headlines for its dramatic restructuring plan including the opening of new locations. Lidl’s expansion will include “approximately 100 additional stores” across Britain, making that 159 grocceries alone. However, retailers are not to be left behind in the nation’s sprint ahead of the economy, with Drapers Online sharing the good news of fashion brands expanding amid the “doom and gloom”.

Poundland closed 52 stores as part of a 68 store closure plan unveiled by the recent acquisition by Pepco Group investment firm Gordon Brothers, in June. However, bargain hunters should not despair as the high street favourite is opening 37 new stores across the nation, with its infamous £1 deals set to return. Britbrief writes that several of these will appear in London’s “high-footfall areas”, as well as Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Cardiff. 

Similarly, Asda has confirmed its expansion, with 22 stores to open before December 31. Restarting its Express store programme, the UK giant opened the first of its stores in Castleford this October, with a plan of 21 further openings to be carried out by the chain. Now published, Yahoo News reports the openings to be in the following locations:

• Bradford – Toller Lane
• Botley – Boorley Green
• Cadishead – Liverpool Road
• Castleford – Holywell Lane
• Crystal Palace – Anerley Road
• Deepcut – Bridge Road
• Deptford – Landings
• Ferndown – Wimborne Road
• Greenwich – South Street
• Harringay – Green Lanes
• Harrow – Headstone Drive
• Heath Hayes – Hednesford Road
• Horncastle
• Liverpool – Parliament Street
• London – Finsbury Park Station; Limehouse Station; Tottenham Hale West; Tower Bridge
• Manchester – Square Gardens
• Stoke – Station Road
• Whetstone – High Road
• Wigan – Mesnes Road

The site states US brand Anthropologie to open three new UK stores this November, with another three openings for AllSaints to join them on the high street. Women’s Quiz Clothing has revealed plans to open between five and 10 new UK stores, however there is no hint as of yet to whether this will begin before January. Additionally, sought-after athleisure brand Alo is to expand its portfolio between late 2025 and 2026, with its first new location set to be outside of London.

According to The Independent, JD Gym, a subsect of the global chain JD Sports Fashion, has confirmed it is opening a new gym in Enfield, North London. The November launch will celebrate the firm’s 167th branch. 

Tesco has said it will cease accepting or handling Evri parcels on customers’ behalf ‘by the end of November’. The supermarket giant is currently winding down its collaboration with Evri ParcelShop across individual outlets, according to Sky News.

The arrangement will conclude across all Tesco Express branches on Friday, November 28.

Stores will provide a 10-day grace period following this date to allow shoppers who have arranged parcel collections at Tesco locations sufficient time to retrieve their items.

Evri’s ParcelShop facility enables customers to dispatch, collect, and return packages from thousands of various retailers including Vinted via their local Tesco.

The collaboration between the companies commenced in 2021, with Tesco shoppers earning Clubcard points on selected Evri orders from 2023.

Tesco has recently issued a statement confirming the impending conclusion of the partnership.

“Our partnership with Evri, offering an over-the-counter Parcel Shop service at Tesco Express stores, is coming to an end,” a spokesperson said.

“We are in the process of winding down this service in our stores and will display details in individual stores of when the service will stop at that location. We are sorry for the inconvenience.”

The announcement follows Evri’s revelation of a fresh partnership with Asda, commencing next year.

Evri plans to introduce its ParcelShop service across 1,200 Asda outlets by April 2026.

TOhe initiative forms part of a £50 million investment to expand Evri’s network twofold by 2030.

Asda will implement ParcelShops across all 1,200 of its outlets, as part of an expanded collaboration with delivery firm Evri “just in time for Christmas”.

The ParcelShop service, allowing customers to collect and send parcels through Evri’s delivery network, has undergone testing at 300 Asda branches in recent months.

The scheme will now be extended to all supermarkets, superstores and Express convenience outlets by April next year.

Unlike Evri’s external parcel locker network, ParcelShop terminals are positioned within stores at Asda’s customer service desks.

Customers can generate their own shipping labels and hand packages to Asda staff for dispatch via Evri drivers.

This would allow shoppers to collect parcels whilst doing their grocery shopping in one “convenient” visit to their local Asda branch, the retailer explained.

“One of the things that sets Asda apart is our unmatchable mix of services, so we’re delighted to be partnering with Evri to be able to launch a brand-new one, just in time for the festive season,” said Chris Hall, Asda VP for logistics.

“We know how much our customers value convenience, and this service gives them the flexibility to collect or return an Evri parcel, whether they’re popping in for a pint of milk in one of our Express stores or doing their big shop in one of our larger stores.”

The ParcelShop service expansion forms part of a £50m investment by the courier company in June 2025 to double its network of locations to 25,000 by 2030.

“This landmark agreement with fellow Leeds-based Asda Evri CEO Martijn de Lange expressed his enthusiasm about the new partnership, stating: “strengthens our commitment to creating a delivery network fit for the modern UK shopper, directly giving them choice, convenience and control. We are excited about the opportunities this new partnership will bring, helping us to further drive our ambition to expand our capabilities and deliver an even more comprehensive, cost-effective, and customer-focused service across the UK and beyond.

“.

Asda is set to launch nine new Express convenience stores within the next 10 days, in a bid to bolster its presence in high-traffic urban areas, residential neighbourhoods, and transport hubs. Seven of these new stores will be opening in London this week, located at Tower Bridge, Greenwich, Limehouse Station, Harringay, Deptford, Whetstone, and the former Arsenal FC club shop at Finsbury Park station.

In addition to the capital, two more stores are also set to open in Botley (Southampton) and Stoke. Each of these Express convenience stores will stock over 3,000 branded and own-label products. They will also feature Costa Coffee machines, ATMs, Amazon collections and returns, and on-demand delivery options through Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo, as well as electronic shelf edge labels (ESLs).

New Asda Express stores before end of October:

• Tower Bridge
• Greenwich
• Limehouse Station
• Harringay
• Deptford
• Whetstone
• Former Arsenal FC club shop at Finsbury Park station
• Botley
• Stoke

Joseph Sutton, Vice President of Asda Express, foodservice and fuel, expressed his excitement about the new openings, stating: “We’re thrilled to be opening nine new Express stores this week, including seven in London, an area where we have traditionally had less of a presence in convenience. These openings are a key part of our strategy to bring Asda’s unbeatable value to more urban areas and residential communities across the UK.

“We know customers have looked forward to these stores opening for a long time, and we’re delighted to welcome them in and offer outstanding value across their favourite products.”

Earlier this month, Asda launched a new Express store in Castleford, marking the beginning of the latest phase of its expansion programme.

The supermarket behemoth has plans to launch an additional 10 Express stores before the year’s end, with a robust pipeline of further openings slated for 2026.

The ESL technology also helps to display allergen information at the shelf edge through QR codes, in addition to displaying the cost, weight and unit price of products. 

It comes after the grocer recently announced it would launch up to 20 new Express stores before the end of the year as part of its convenience store opening programme.

Sutton continued: “We’re continuing to invest in enhancing our stores, and the launch of cutting-edge technology across our Express estate is proof of this. 

“By streamlining our in-store operations, we can free up our colleagues to focus on what they do best – serving our customers.”

He added: “With the first of 20 new Express sites set to open next, we’re excited to build on this momentum and to bring Asda’s trusted value to even more communities across the UK.”