Alanya Smith
It’s hard to miss the launch of ASDA’s newly released ‘Just Essentials’ range that hit shelves this August, notably because of the bold yellow colour that now brands their products. Many have criticised the selection for shaming individuals who purchase these products, with their beaconing colour gaining the attention of others. It is important to take a step back and consider how this critique reflects the nation’s attitude to class-shaming and intimidation.
As we continue to experience the tumultuous challenges caused by rising bills and consequent low wages, amplified through inflation skyrocketing to 22% this January, the economic struggle has become further normalised in households across Britain. To combat this, budgeting weekly food shops and meal prepping content has seen a spike in popularity as an effective output to reduce how much money families spend each week.
With ASDA’s budget-friendly ‘Just Essentials’ range offered to shoppers; a weekly food shop can now include items from over 300 products in alignment with ASDA’s recommended £35 weekly budget. It is important to applaud such efforts, particularly as food prices rose 9.9% between June 2021-2022.
“Classism is a serious topic which is interwoven into the entire tapestry of British culture and economics”
Currently, the national average spent on food for a family of four every week in Britain is £108, with £60 thrown out in waste each month. With the introduction of ‘essentials’, the affordability of a £35 food shop will support communities currently struggling. By saving this amount each week, shoppers can combat the cost of living crisis.
Many critiques of Asda’s ‘Just Essentials’ highlight that the bright yellow packaging of the range may exclude, target, and shame families who depend on the budget-friendly pricing. This is amplified through the accumulation of classist stereotypes which dominate our lives; from the supermarkets we shop at, to where our clothes are from, and even to the jobs we have and the places which we call home. Classism is a serious topic that is interwoven into the entire tapestry of British culture and economics and contributing to something as such would only further vilify poor and working-class communities across the country.
“There’s no shame in purchasing products from a budget-friendly range”
To directly tackle this, including a strategic response to the rising inflation rates, support must be given to remove the structural obstacles which create these barriers in the first place. What better approach to do this, by making essential products offered in supermarkets affordable and available to the public?
Though yellow is undeniably a bright colour, making these products visible and easily identifiable removes any potential embarrassment shoppers may have in trying to navigate the shelves on their own. We shouldn’t be negating praise surrounding the low prices of these products, by reinforcing narratives that consumers are eternally being scrutinised for their purchases by those around them. There’s no shame in purchasing products from a budget-friendly range, regardless of your economic status. It’s important to remember that if you’re somebody who judges those purchasing products in ASDA, you are next to them doing relatively the same thing.
“Any effort to help consumers make budget-friendly decisions should be celebrated and encouraged”
A further criticism of the ‘Just Essentials’ range is the variety of groceries included in the range, with consideration of what food items are considered essential for consumers. By including indulgences like chocolate and pizza, some commenters have argued that the range should instead be prioritising healthy foods for its customers. Although it’s imperative that groceries for a healthy, balanced diet are offered at low prices in supermarkets, these luxury items are included in the plethora of hundreds of products at budget-friendly pricing. Economically-challenged households equally deserve indulgent items as the rest of the nation. Providing them at accessible prices is a great option that allows for a varied, exciting diet incorporating different cuisines and palates.
https://twitter.com/asda/status/1550100710141960192
With the ever-expanding fight to save money as bills continue to rise, any effort to help consumers make budget-friendly decisions should be celebrated and encouraged. Even I have frequently used the range since its release, and would implore you to do the same. Instead of viewing the yellow packaging as a “poverty marker”, we should reconsider why we judge the private purchasing choices of others, and why labelling people as ‘poor’ is both regarded as an insult and a weapon to intimidate and discourage our peers.
Many supermarkets have approached sustainability and accessibility by providing refillable and reusable containers to distribute products, or providing discounted offers on weekly, healthy meal kits. ASDA has made itself a heavyweight competitor to fellow budget brands with the ‘Just Essentials’ range; continuing to provide £1 school meals for children across 2022, supplying digital resources to reduce prices for customers and now eliminating best before dates on fresh products to minimise food waste. It’s imperative that all families afford to eat exciting meals at affordable prices; ‘essentials’ is one instrument to ensure that nobody gets left hungry.
Featured image courtesy of Dominic Alves via Flickr. Image license found here. No edits were made to this image.
alanya
Alanya is a Journalism student at Cardiff University and Spotlight section editor at Quench Magazine.