Asda Stores Ltd is set to finish its three‐year tech divorce project from Walmart in the third quarter of 2025, transitioning critical IT systems including a move to S/4HANA on Microsoft Azure while cutting 200 project staff as part of its Project Future program.

Asda has implemented initiatives focused on ethical sourcing and supply chain transparency. The company uses Sedex to uncover labor risks, enforces supplier compliance with local labor laws through third‐party audits, collaborates with ethical trade groups, and has expanded its sustainability-linked Supply Chain Finance programme with HSBC to incentivize suppliers on ESG targets.

Asda announced that it will cancel bonus payments for around 10,000 employees following a challenging financial year, a move that has raised concerns about worker morale and fair treatment amid cost-cutting measures.

An employment tribunal ruled that many Asda shopworkers, predominantly women, perform work of equal value to higher-paid warehouse roles. The ruling, which came after a decade-long dispute led by the GMB union and Leigh Day, marks a significant historic win for equal pay and challenges Asda's pay practices.

Asda chairman Allan Leighton announced a series of cost-cutting measures, including the axing of 13 regional manager positions, as the retailer struggles to improve performance. This decision, part of broader efforts to trim expenses, raises concerns over the security and rights of affected employees.

Over 150 Members of Parliament, along with union representatives, have called on Asda’s majority owners to settle a long-standing gender equal pay dispute affecting over 60,000 current and former employees. The political pressure comes as part of broader efforts to ensure fair pay and uphold workers' rights in the retail sector.

Asda workers, represented by the GMB and supported by law firm Leigh Day, held a rally in Manchester as an equal pay case begins, challenging long-standing pay disparities between retail and warehouse roles and underlining claims that predominantly female shop floor workers have been structurally undervalued. Asda defended its separate pay structures for retail and distribution roles.

Workers from Asda, represented by the GMB union and supported by legal firm Leigh Day, have staged a rally in Manchester as an equal pay claim begins. The protest challenges the long-standing undervaluation of predominantly female retail workers and calls for fair wages across different roles within the company.

Asda detailed its responsible purchasing practices and long-standing relationships with British farmers, emphasizing ethical sourcing, adherence to human rights standards, and collaboration with external initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative to drive improvements in supplier practices.

Asda released a response outlining its commitment to ethical purchasing practices through sustained relationships with British farmers, transparent supplier negotiations, and adherence to local labor and human rights laws. The company detailed its long-term buying agreements and participation in external initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative, Stronger Together, and the Food Network for Ethical Trade to ensure improved standards and fair treatment of workers.

Politicians grilled Asda's private equity owners over concerns of high debt and poor worker conditions following the controversial £6.8bn buyout by TDR Capital.

Asda and Usdaw have signed a new recognition agreement covering former EG Group convenience stores and Leon restaurant sites. This agreement ensures that hourly-paid colleagues will be represented by the union, allowing them to negotiate on pay, hours, and holidays, thereby strengthening worker rights.

Asda has published a detailed Modern Slavery statement outlining its comprehensive approach to addressing modern slavery risks across its business and supply chains. The statement highlights measures such as risk assessments, supplier due diligence, extensive training on modern slavery awareness, and clear policies for investigating grievances. These steps demonstrate a commitment to protecting workers' rights and promoting ethical supply chain practices under the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.

The UK's Supreme Court ruled that 44,000 Asda workers can compare their roles to those of predominantly male depot staff, marking a significant legal victory aimed at achieving equal pay and better labor practices.

Asda, the UK's second largest retailer, is facing a mass lawsuit from female employees who claim they are paid less than their male counterparts in distribution warehouses, alleging systemic inequities in compensation.

During a Parliamentary committee appearance on July 20, 2023, Asda was questioned about a reported £1.7 billion gap in operating costs while simultaneously attempting to cut the pay of 7,000 low‐paid retail workers, prompting sharp criticism from the GMB Union.

MPs reprimanded Asda executives during a high-profile meeting for failing to provide adequate information on fuel prices and job-related issues, raising concerns about the company's transparency and accountability in political oversight.

MPs reprimanded Asda executives following a meeting where they failed to disclose details on fuel prices and job conditions, raising concerns about corporate accountability and transparency.

Asda executives were reprimanded in an extraordinary meeting with MPs for failing to provide sufficient information on fuel pricing and job statistics. MPs accused the company of damaging its brand by not complying with inquiries, raising concerns over its commitment to transparency and accountability.

During an evidence session with the Business and Trade Committee on July 19, 2023, Asda's co-owner faced severe criticism from MPs over its fuel pricing strategy—which saw fuel margins triple since 2019—and its controversial 'fire and rehire' employment practices, which threaten thousands of workers. The session highlighted concerns over both consumer exploitation through inflated fuel prices and the undermining of workers' rights via the 'dismiss and reengage' approach.

Private equity owners of Asda, including billionaire Mohsin Issa, are coming under heightened political scrutiny. Issa is scheduled to appear before Parliament’s cross-party business and trade committee following concerns raised by MPs over potentially undue political influence.

Asda is in discussions to remove a long-standing 60p-per-hour location supplement, potentially implementing a fire-and-rehire tactic which would dismiss about 7,000 staff if they refuse a pay cut, according to the GMB union. The move has been characterized as exploitative at a time of rising cost of living, with the company arguing that the supplement is out of line with the wider retail market.

Asda is considering cutting pay for 7,000 workers by removing location and night supplements, with warnings of dismissal for those who refuse the new contract, despite a recent 10% pay rise. The GMB union has criticized the move as exploitative amidst a cost-of-living crisis.

In response to allegations of forced labour in Spain, an Asda spokesperson stated the company’s strong commitment to ensuring all workers in its supply chain are treated fairly. The company is investigating the claims and is collaborating with partners including the Ethical Trading Initiative and the Spanish Ethical Forum to uphold ethical labor standards.

Asda has detailed its Responsible Sourcing and Human Rights strategy on its corporate website, outlining measures to ensure ethical labor practices and robust supply chain transparency through initiatives like mapping via Sedex and partnering with Open Supply Hub. The policy highlights commitments to combat forced labor, unsafe working conditions, and to support effective worker representation.

Asda has published a detailed Responsible Sourcing page outlining its commitment to respecting international human rights in its supply chains. The initiative emphasizes transparency, responsible sourcing practices, and collaboration with external partners to combat forced labor, unsafe working conditions, and other labor rights risks through platforms like Sedex and Open Supply Hub.

Oxfam’s fourth ‘Behind the Barcodes’ scorecard rated Asda lowest among major supermarkets for protecting human rights in its supply chain. The scorecard, which evaluated policies related to workers, women, and small-scale farmers, revealed a dramatic decline in performance post-takeover and a shift away from the previously established Walmart-inspired ethical framework.

Oxfam's annual Supermarket Scorecard rated Asda as the worst in terms of labor rights, scoring only 9%. The report highlighted extremely low ethical standards in treatment of workers, small-scale farmers, and transparency, marking a significant decline in Asda's labor rights performance.

Oxfam's annual investigation ranked Asda as the worst major supermarket for workers’ rights, highlighting its extremely low ethical standards in worker treatment and other labor policies. The report criticized Asda's overall performance, marking an overall score of just 9% compared to competitors.

Oxfam's annual Supermarket Scorecard found Asda at the bottom with an overall score of 9%, criticizing its treatment of workers, transparency, and the handling of ethical sourcing practices following its split from Walmart. The report highlighted severe deficiencies in labour rights and supply chain ethics, prompting calls from unions and human rights advocates for more robust policies.

Oxfam’s annual supermarket ethical scorecard found that Asda scored the lowest among 13 major supermarkets for its treatment of supply chain workers, transparency, and engagement with small-scale farmers, highlighting extremely basic human rights and labor practices.

Asda has updated its Responsible Sourcing Programme to better monitor and manage ethical risks in its global supply chain, emphasizing fair treatment of workers and safer working conditions. The initiative, accompanied by its recent membership in the Slave-Free Alliance, aims to counter modern slavery and improve supplier compliance through a data‐driven, tiered response system.

Asda management threatened to terminate the existing collective bargaining agreement with the GMB union at its Dartford depot unless significant progress was made in negotiations. This dispute, part of broader conflicts at depots in Washington and Wigan, also involved the use of anti-union leaflets by PR firm Portland, heightening the political dimensions of the labor dispute.

The article details Asda's active involvement in political lobbying and influence through significant sponsorships, executive engagements, and memberships in influential industry groups. It highlights the company’s £2 million sponsorship for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, a strategic financial intervention to thwart competitive threats, high-level meetings including a courtesy call to Tony Blair, and its longstanding ties with the Conservative Party via former CEO Archie Norman. Additionally, Asda’s memberships in major lobbying organizations such as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the British Retail Consortium underscore its entrenched role in shaping political and regulatory environments.