Asda trials sustainability store in Leeds

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Oct 23, 2020

From refillable shampoos and loose fruit and veg to eco-friendly fashion lines: Asda has opened a sustainability trial store at Asda Middleton in Leeds.

The new-look store will be used to test and learn which elements appeal most to customers with a view to potentially rolling out the concept to more locations in 2021.

A key part of the retail concept are its 15 refill stations, which offer customers a selection of more than 30 household staples sold in refillable format. These include different Kellogg’s cereals, PG Tips tea bags, Quaker Oats, Lavazza and Taylors of Harrogate coffee beans, as well as popular brands of shampoo, conditioner, detergent, handwash and shower gel from brands such as Simple and Radox. 

Sustainable fashion lines from the George at Asda range are also available, such as clothing made from recycled polyester and coat-hanger-less denim. 

Meanwhile, a community zone has been designed to spotlight partnerships with charities and other pop-up ventures, starting with a three-month trial with the Salvation Army for a Drop and Shop outlet where customers can donate their unwanted clothing. 

And there’s more: Asda has also partnered with Pre-Loved, a vintage wholesaler who will be selling bespoke vintage clothing from well-known brands.

Other products available at the store include loose and unwrapped cauliflowers, mushrooms, apples, cabbages and baby plum tomatoes, as well as popular Asda brand canned multipacks.

And to encourage recycling, the store provides facilities for items that are difficult to recycle in kerbside collections such as cosmetic containers, toothpaste tubes and plastic toys. A further hanger recycling facility is expected to roll out across all stores in the coming months. 

Roger Burnley, Asda’s CEO and President, said: “Today marks an important milestone in our journey as we tackle plastic pollution and help our customers to reduce, re-use and recycle. We have always known that we couldn't do this alone and I’m delighted that our partners and suppliers have answered the call to bring new and innovative sustainable solutions into store.”

The new retail concept is underpinned by the new Greener at Asda Price promise, which reassures consumers that loose and unwrapped goods will never knowingly cost more than wrapped equivalents.