In a heartwarming move to combat food waste, Asda, one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains, is giving away free bags of surplus Christmas vegetables to shoppers. Today, customers can visit their local Asda store to collect bags filled with potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and sprouts at no cost.
Shoppers on the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK shared their excitement, with one user noting, “My local Asda is currently giving away all of their Xmas veg for free. Huge pallets and boxes outside with potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and sprouts. All free in an effort to reduce waste.” Another added, “All Asdas are doing the same today! Normally they do it on Christmas Eve but decided to do it today instead.” The free giveaways are available until 4 pm.
This initiative follows Asda’s recent data revealing festive shopping trends. Customer searches on Asda.com showed a 339% increase in Christmas cheese, a 922% spike in Lynx gift set searches, and a 263% rise for Galaxy selection boxes. George.com also reported a surge in searches for festive items such as Christmas jumpers and matching pyjamas.
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The festive season sees the sale of nearly 18 million meters of wrapping paper in the UK—enough to stretch from London to the North Pole and back. Christmas tree sales at Asda would fill Sherwood Forest 350 times over, with over 265,000 novelty baubles sold to decorate them, including unique items like Asda trolley and chips-in-a-cone ornaments.
Elf on the Shelf remains a popular festive tradition, with over 106,000 elves released this year, leading to an estimated 2.5 million mischievous elf moments before Christmas Eve.
On the food front, Asda expects to sell around 2 million packets of pigs in blankets, alongside enough wine and sparkling drinks to fill more than 42 swimming pools. The retailer hasn’t forgotten pets—offering the Asda Adult Dog Hero Festive Feast at just 42p, with around 92,000 expected to be served this Christmas Day. Additionally, over 378,000 pet-related gift items, from toys to jumpers, are anticipated to find their way into holiday stockings.
Asda’s free veggie giveaway and festive insights highlight the supermarket’s commitment to community, celebration, and sustainability this holiday season.