Asda shoppers spot ‘bizarre’ change to prices in all UK stores – have you noticed it?
ASDA shoppers have pointed out a bizarre switch-up on its price tags in stores.
Customers were left scratching their heads after the retailer’s products no longer end in round numbers, and are now using odd increments.
Posting in the Asda subReddit, r/cumulus-crafts said: “I was walking around the store, and noticed that a vast majority of the products are now priced like £5.63, £9.98, £3.07, ect. Finishing every price on a number that isn’t 5 or 0.
“I know it’s so that we feel like we’re saving more money, but man. It feels weird. It feels like they’ve added on an extra tax onto the base price of the product and built it into the overall price, and that’s why everything now ends in a strange number.”
The Redditor wasn’t the only eagle-eyed customer who clocked the change, which came about following Asda’s Rollback price commitment which was put into action. the end of January.
Many shoppers will have seen prices cut across Asda’s more than 1,200 stores, with the supermarket looking to restore its reputation for good value.
User mist3rdragon wrote on a separate forum: “I want to know what’s up with their prices in general recently?
“So many random prices that aren’t near a round number.
It’s like they’re trying to make it harder to keep track of your spending while you’re walking around.”
Items included in the price tweaks include Weetabix packs scanning for £2.62, fresh double cream is £1.68 and Fairy Platinum dishwasher tablets for £8.98
Other prices include Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for £2.98, Asda Tikka chicken breast for £2.94 and Lurpak 750g for £7.77.
The Sun Online has reached out to Asda for comment.
Rising food prices
The rollback comes after a report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) found food prices rose at their fastest face in nine months in January, with costs jumping 0.5% month-on-month.
Experts at the BRC warned the figure suggested prices could continue to rise this year, with recent forecasts predicting an increase of 4.2% in the second half of 2025.
Food prices have risen steeply over the past few years due to a number of factors including higher energy costs, supply chain issues caused by the pandemic and rising labour costs.
Budget pub chain Wetherspoons has hiked prices on most of its menu, with drinks typically rising by 15p and food by 30p, which boss Tim Martin had warned may happen following the government’s Autumn Statement.
But while food prices have generally risen, supermarkets are always keen to beat their competitors on price in a bid to keep loyal customers and lure others to switch to them.
Tesco made a raft of 200 price cuts to items in its Express stores, which are more expensive than its larger supermarkets, in November last year, lowering prices by an average of 10%.
Supermarkets are also making other strategic changes to their offerings in a bid to reinvest the money to keep their prices low.
Sainsbury’s has cut around 3,000 jobs by closing its remaining in-store cafes and closing its bakery and deli counters.
Tesco is also reportedly cutting around 400 roles mostly focused around its bakery team, moving away from having staff bake goods inside the supermarket.
How to save on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.