Following the exposure of graphic animal cruelty at a Cranswick-owned pig farm, Asda joined other major retailers in suspending supplies from the farm, reinforcing its commitment to robust animal welfare and ethical supply chain standards.

Asda implemented a pilot facial recognition technology in five Greater Manchester stores intended to reduce theft and protect staff, which led to over 5,000 customer complaints. The system uses CCTV to match faces against an internal watchlist, raising significant concerns over privacy, bias, and the potential for authoritarian surveillance practices.

Asda has launched a pilot program at five of its supermarkets in Greater Manchester using live facial recognition integrated with its CCTV network to identify known offenders. The initiative, aimed at curbing shoplifting and assaults on staff, has been criticized by anti-surveillance groups as 'chilling' and 'disproportionate', raising concerns about privacy and the potential for expanded state-like surveillance in a retail setting.

Asda launched a two‐month trial of live facial recognition technology in five Greater Manchester stores, sparking public outcry over potential privacy violations and unjust blacklisting.

Asda announced a restructuring plan that will result in cutting 475 head office roles and reducing hybrid working arrangements by requiring compulsory office attendance three days a week from January, as stated by chairman Lord Rose.

Labour MP Darren Jones has questioned Asda owner Mohsin Issa over the company's complex corporate structure, increased debt levels following the £6.8bn acquisition, and investments such as interest-free loans potentially used for private jets, raising concerns about Asda’s ability to help mitigate the cost-of-living crisis. The inquiry, detailed in a letter dated August 30, 2023, addresses whether such financial maneuvers restrict the company's capacity to lower prices for consumers.

Asda is confronting a legal claim by a union for equal pay after a leaked email revealed that female shop floor workers are paid less than their male counterparts in distribution centres, potentially leading to a £1.2bn compensation payout. The dispute is further aggravated by past allegations of fire-and-rehire practices and parliamentary scrutiny, highlighting significant labor rights issues.

MPs have criticized Asda owners for their reluctance to provide transparency regarding fuel prices and job conditions, raising concerns over corporate accountability and undermining public trust. This lack of openness is seen as a failure in engaging responsibly with public policy issues.

Oxfam’s fourth and final ‘Behind the Barcodes’ scorecard ranks Asda at the bottom among major supermarkets for human rights policies, highlighting extremely basic labour rights standards and poor supply chain ethics, particularly in relation to small-scale farmers and women’s rights. The score has dropped from 29% to 9%, prompting calls for a proper labour rights policy as Asda transitions away from its previous framework under Walmart.

Oxfam's Supermarket Scorecard placed Asda at the bottom for workers' rights, with a score of just 9%, citing extremely low ethical standards in the treatment of workers, small-scale farmers, and transparency. The score underscores significant shortcomings in labor practices as Asda transitions from its long association with Walmart's responsible sourcing programme.

Oxfam's annual scorecard revealed that Asda ranks at the bottom among 13 major supermarkets for its treatment of supply chain workers, transparency, and handling of small-scale farmers, highlighting extremely basic labor rights and supply chain ethics standards.

The UK Supreme Court ruling allows over 40,000 Asda store workers, predominantly women, to proceed with their long-standing equal pay and discrimination claim, highlighting systemic issues in Asda's wage practices.

The UK Supreme Court ruled against Asda in a case involving over 40,000 store workers, predominantly women, who claimed unequal pay compared to distribution centre staff. This decision paves the way for significant compensation claims and raises concerns over the company's labor practices.