Asda was this week criticised for its new low-cost range, Just Essentials, which has replaced the Smart Price line - because all the packaging is bright yellow. Some have said the design means people who buy the items are being 'poverty shamed' as the shopping will be bright and obvious in their trolley or at the till.
Mirror journalist Danielle Kate Wroe decided to try the Just Essentials range for herself, to see how much she could buy and what the quality is like. Danielle said: "I think Asda have done a great job at upgrading their Smart Price range. Gone are the days of drab and nondescript packaging, and here is the moment for bright, bold, and fun - whilst also being cheap and cheerful. I was already sold.
"They've just made it easier to shop the range without having to specifically ask for it, because it's not all in one section - it can be found in its 'usual' place in the supermarket.
"After I left Asda with a spring in my step thanks to the price of the goods (£20.65 for everything, I honestly could not believe it) and was ready to try everything - and I was hoping to be impressed."
Among Daniells' £20 haul was a £2 steak. She said: "Soft and tasty, I cooked it in olive oil, with lots of salt and pepper, Asda spread and one and a half cloves of garlic. The end result was something I hope a chef would be proud of. And considering you can pay upwards of £30 for a steak in a restaurant, I was really impressed with the overall quality of this. The portion size was filling enough to make a full meal out of it too, which is great, as I'd expect a £2 steak to be a lot smaller."
She added: "Possibly the stand-out of the lot, were the potato pops - and these potato-based goods are not to be sniffed at. Turning perfectly golden brown in the oven, the middles somehow stay perfectly fluffy and potato-y."
Danielle also praised the pizza and the curry - adding: "This is the sort of curry you can expect to get in a chip shop, or in a jacket potato, but there was a generous amount of chicken and a lot of onion in the mix, too. It didn't feel healthy per se, but definitely healthier than your standard ready meal. Coming in at just 302 calories, it's definitely one to consider if you're trying to eat a little healthier but are struggling for time. It's actually pretty spicy too! I'm really impressed with this and happily finished it (once I'd added a little bit of salt)."
Danielle said: "Next up - sausage and mash, which isn't my favourite meal at the best of times. I also have a vendetta against onion gravy, so I may be a little biased when I say this really wasn't the meal for me. The sausage tasted fine, just how you'd expect, but the overpowering onion gravy just didn’t do it for me. And, for the record, I also think mashing a potato is the worst thing you could do to the glorious veggie."
Danielle also praised the fishcakes and the 'delightfully thick' bacon but wasn't a fan of the sausage and beans. She liked the 39p bread, the mild cheese and the spread adding: "This vegetable fat spread, coming in at a ridiculously cheap 75p, is a glorious alternative to butter in my opinion, especially with the rising price of dairy products at the moment. If you're making a sandwich, I really don't think that you can taste butter enough to bother with it, and toast is not my preferred breakfast of choice anyway, so I'd never miss it on that in the mornings. This is definitely a swap that I'd be prepared to make, happily."
Sjhe also liked the chocolate spreading saying: "If you’re saving almost £4 (350g of Nutella is £4.95 at Ocado and this Asda jar is an extra 50g) what’s not to love?"
The Just Essentials yogurts are 'actually pretty tasty' according to Danielle and she was a big fan of the custard and mini-cookies.
She added: "Caramel wafers are the ultimate snack, but they need to be just right, so I was nervous when unwrapping this sweet treat. I was so glad, however, when I was met with a caramelly, chewy bar covered in chocolate that tasted genuinely delicious. At around 10p per wafer, I’m 100 percent repurchasing these. They’d be perfect to put in a treats jar for older kids too.
"If you like ready salted crisps then you’re bound to enjoy these own brand ones. They’re not greasy, very crunchy and they’re just the right amount of saltiness - I’m really impressed. The only downside is that they’re ridiculously more-ish. Coming in at just over 13p per packet, I can definitely see myself chucking these into my basket when I next do a big shop.
"Orange juice is one of those things I always enjoy when I have it, but rarely pick it up because it has become super pricey these days. Not at Asda it hasn’t though - this orange juice is just 69p. The catch? There isn’t one, because this juice is actually really nice. Possibly the nicest ‘from concentrate’ orange I’ve ever had. And if you’re fussy about bits like I am, you’re in luck, because it’s super smooth.
"I'm not usually an instant coffee drinker, but this could be enough to convert me. At just 75p for 100g, it could save me some serious money on my monthly bill. I’m not really a fan of hot coffee so made it iced, how I’d usually drink it, but I made it with four spoonfuls of coffee, wrongly assuming that it’d be weak. The packaging recommends one or two teaspoons and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it’s actually very strong and two teaspoons would likely have sufficed! It made a very pleasant, very drinkable beverage.
"Kitchen roll is something that horrified me when I saw how much it seemed to go up in price literally overnight. I used to use Plenty, but simply cannot justify those prices, so I’d already made a swap to use cheaper kitchen roll. This Asda kitchen roll costing 99p for two rolls is great. It really held its own when I ran it under water for a minute - it didn’t disintegrate! - and I cleaned up a spill and it worked wonders. I can’t imagine there’s anything this kitchen roll couldn’t clean up successfully, so it’s a yes from me!
"The toilet paper is recycled and contains 400 sheets in six rolls - so not only is it cheap, it’s eco-friendly too which is great. If I’m honest, I wasn’t blown away by it, but I am very particular when it comes to loo roll. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it, and if you’re not a self-confessed TP snob then I’m pretty sure you’ll find this is a good swap. £1.90 for six rolls (just over 36p per roll) is a very good price, and is much cheaper than competitors. I just found on one side it was a little rough for my liking (it has little raised dots on it).
"Obviously, these foods are not representative of everything you need for a healthy balanced diet (I didn't pick up any fruit or vegetables!) but they are good staples to start with that will feed families cheaply.
Here is a price list for everything I bought:
Toilet roll - £1.90
Kitchen roll - 99p
Bread - 39p
Orange juice - 69p
Custard - 36p
Beans and sausage - 42p
Curry and rice - £1.35
Crisps - 82p
Soft spread - 75p
Yoghurts - 79p
Beef steak - £2
Cookies - 39p
Fish cakes - £1.10
Potato pops - 72p
Cheese - £2.25
Chocolate spread - 88p
Coffee - 75p
Pizza - 99p
Sausage and mash - £1.33
Caramel wafers - 53p
Bacon - £1.25
Total = £20.65
Danielle said: "Overall, I'd be lying if I said I expected everything to taste as good as it does. I was nervous about trying the meat products, but it turns out those fears were unfounded because most things were delicious. If you're on a budget, or just looking to make some simple swaps to make life a little bit easier right now, I’d highly recommend this range.
"And as for people judging you for the yellow label? Hold your head up high - we're all doing our best right now. And if buying cheaper alternatives at the supermarket frees up money for other things, well, good, because it all tastes great.
"While I loved the range, Asda has received negative comments from some shoppers - and the supermarket hit back by saying its customers were 'loving' the new line."
Asda said its Just Essentials line is the "largest ever budget-friendly range" to help shoppers combat rising costs - with a spokesperson saying: "We don’t understand why anyone would feel embarrassed for saving money."
