Shoppers could ditch Asda over controversial Contract 6, GMB

Almost seven million Asda shoppers could abandon the supermarket over its treatment of workers, according to research by Survation for the GMB union.

37% of the 1,014 people surveyed said they would be less likely to shop at Asda after hearing about its new Contract 6. 34% - up to 6.5 million shoppers - would reconsider their Christmas shop at the Walmart-owned grocery giant.

“Asda used to be rooted in family values, this polling shows that’s its shoppers expect. Its customers overwhelmingly want to be served by people who are respected and treated well in their jobs - no one wants to feel bad about doing their shopping, especially at Christmas,” says Gary Carter, GMB National Officer at Asda.

“GMB don't take any joy from this, because our members' jobs depend on people shopping at Asda but people want to feel good about where they shop and clearly could vote with their feet. Asda could still rethink their plans and simply stop going down this route of imposing punishing new terms on loyal workers who work hard for them every day.”

Asda responds

“The retail sector is immensely competitive and it is important that we are able to serve our customers in the best way to meet their needs. This contract is about increasing the take home pay of more than 100,000 retail colleagues, through an investment of more than £80 million, and ensuring that everyone doing the same job is on the same terms and conditions,” an Asda spokesperson told RTIH.

“The overwhelming majority of our colleagues from across all our stores have signed onto the new contracts and while we appreciate that some of our colleagues find the changes more unsettling, we do not want any of them to leave. We understand colleagues have commitments outside of work and will not be asking them to constantly move the time they work, their days or departments.”