Asda announces major trolley change at all 1,100 UK stores - starts in October

Asda has announced it will make changes at its 1,100 stores across the UK. The supermarket giant is overhauling its cleaning across all stores nationwide as it plans to outsource all its in-store cleaning operations to two external companies, affecting 3,500 workers who will switch employers.

Asda said no redundancies are planned ahead of the changes, which will bring cleaner toilets, steam-cleaned trolleys and baskets, and more cleaning robots. Bidvest will take responsibility for stores across northern England and Scotland, while NIC Services will cover southern England.

All affected employees are expected to be offered a transfer to one of the two companies under TUPE regulations (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment).

Workers were informed of the proposals on Tuesday (August 11), with Asda aiming to complete the process by October 1.

David Lepley, chief operating officer at Asda, said: "Our ambition is to deliver the cleanest stores in retail. We continue to review and invest in ways to enhance the customer experience, partnering with industry leaders to deliver the best solutions.

"This latest investment is another important step in our mission to raise the bar for customers. Having taken the time to learn from others, by partnering with Bidvest and NIC Services we have access to the very latest machinery and cleaning technology."

The plans have drawn fierce criticism from the GMB Union, which called on Asda to halt the process. It also claimed it asked Asda in April whether further outsourcing was planned and was told there was not.

Organiser Rachelle Wilkins said: "Outsourcing companies have a proven track record of slashing pay, terms, conditions and even jobs as soon as they have their feet under the table.

"Now loyal, hard-working cleaning staff will be worried sick about whether their job will still pay the bills or whether the axe will fall on them.

"Morale in stores is already at rock bottom. GMB calls on Asda to halt this process now – at least until the other consultations are finished – and consider what is best for its customers and staff."

Asda has also recently announced it will become the first supermarket to use AI-powered self-checkouts that allow customers to correct missed or mis-scanned items themselves.

Called Evercheck, the system is due to be rolled out across 200 stores during the first phase of Morrisons' partnership with technology company Everseen.

Evercheck uses real-time computer vision to compare what's been scanned with what's in the shopper's basket, thereby sending a "gentle" prompt if an item has been missed.