Sainsbury and Asda to merge

Jackmydad

kpwll wrote: »

Didn't Sainsburys buy Argos not so long ago?

I think so, or at least Argos have appeared in our local Sainburys.

kpwll

If they all merge will they be known as ASA?

peter_the_piper

We have Asda, Sainsburys and Tesco all within a couple of miles of each other in town (Hastings). Could get interesting.

unforeseen

kpwll wrote: »

Didn't Sainsburys buy Argos not so long ago?

That explains why I was involved in reconfiguring switches in Homebase stores. They obviously didn't want Homebase

walesrob

Wow, I worked for Gateway (aka Somerfield) and back in the 80's, they were buying up competitors on a regular basis - Fine Fare, International, Key Markets and Kwik Save.

The reason behind this merger is buying power to compete with the German discounters, and to save costs. The same reason Tesco bought Bookers.

Not sure the competition regulator would approve, especially in areas where Asda and Sainsburys overlap - there's bound to be individual stores being sold-off, a chance for the smaller players to take on some extra stores.

PasturesNew

I'd love to be close to an Asda. I'm close to a Sainsbobs and they're just overpriced and rubbish. My local Sainsbobs is also comparatively small. There used to be some "set items" I'd go in and look for, but over the last 2-3 years they've stopped selling them... one I missed just this week, I even checked their website and mysupermarket to see if it's available at all and it's not listed.

I do find Asda an exciting place to visit as they really have an exciting and large range of foods if you can get into a largish store and their packaging pleases my eye .... but they too run out of things as whenever I make a list of the 2-3 things I'm going in for specifically the shelves are often empty of those.

They've all been so busy "developing new products" and trying to keep pace with social media/instagram trends in recent years I think they've lost the plot and forget that we go there to find food that we've planned and we know how to cook and we like .... not to source "organic angel wing leaves with a sustainable footprint and not packaged in plastic except where it's Vegan Society approved, with a Save the Rainforest sticker on the packaging"

HornetSaver

I generally like Sainsbury's budget stuff much better than Asda or Tescos, and their fruit, veg and bread is no more expensive. For most things further up the price scale they're overpriced compared to the others.

For that reason I'm relieved that it's a case of Sainsbury's buying Asda rather than the other way around, although I fear the closest supermarket to me might be one of those to bite the dust if they have to dispose of stores.

Nannytone

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

Our local Aldi is having a complete refurb starting tonight (closed for 5 days). Queues for the checkouts were horrendous.

Will be interesting to see how things change as there are few towns where these two are competing locally. However, where Asda & Sainsburys are competing, without there being a Tesco or Morrisons they could take the opportunity to snap up these stores, consequently, the merger actually reduces Asda/Sainsburys presence.

ours had the refurb before Christmas. The new flooring is brilliant but it's big on spotlights and backlighting. Not great unless you have Perfect Vision.

We currently have a new Lidl being built so I suspect Aldi is a little nervous.

Our only other supermarket is a small co-op where the staff seemed more interested in chatting to each other then to serving customers

Our nearest Tesco or ASDA or Sainsbury's is over 9 miles away

daveyjp

Don't use either and have no need to.

Aldi and Lidl both within half a mile is more than enough.

The local Aldi closed yesterday for a store upgrade, no doubt to reflect the store layout of the one I went to today a couple of miles away which opened about 2 weeks ago.

seven-day-weekend

peter_the_piper wrote: »

We have Asda, Sainsburys and Tesco all within a couple of miles of each other in town (Hastings). Could get interesting.

We have Asda, Sainsburys and Aldi all together in less than a mile.