Asda to launch dedicated Ramadan shelves in 150 stores

Asda is catering to Muslim customers by launching new shelves dedicated to Ramadan in 150 stores nationwide, an increase of 47% from last year.

The supermarket giant, bought by Muslim brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa in a £6.8m deal in 2020, will add 150 new product lines across all categories for the holy month.

The stores with the new Ramadan themed aisles will be in key areas with high Muslim populations, such as Wembley, Leicester and Sheffield.

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Asda will be stocking Halal products, tinned ingredients, frozen food, baked goods, fresh fruit and vegetables for the event, with store cupboard essentials like 10kg Elephant Atta flour for £7 and 10kg Trophy Basmati rice at £13. Plus, there will be 400g tins of chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and kidney beans all available at 4 for £2.

Ramadan Countdown Calendars with celebratory chocolate treats inside (£3 or 2 for £5) will also be available, and even bi-lingual soft plush talking dolls (£30) from The Desi Doll Company, that speak and sing in English and Arabic, to educate children on the significance of Ramadan.

“Having our toys in 150 stores across the UK means that our talking dolls can reach even more households. Asda customers now have the opportunity to discover our unique toys whilst doing their weekly shopping,” founder of The Desi Doll Company, Farzana Rahman said.

“I left my banking career and designed Aamina and Yousuf. These are two interactive plush dolls that talk and sing when you press their hands, feet and nose. They teach children the basics of the Islamic faith in a fun and light-hearted way,” she added.

Director at Beacon Confectionary Ltd, Paul Dudley, believes it was important to introduce chocolate countdown calendars for Ramadan, after spotting a huge gap in the market and lack of variety available.

Dudley said: “This is the first year we have launched our products in Asda. By working with Asda, we are able to reach out to a wider audience, especially through its extensive Ramadan aisle.”

Head of World Foods at Asda, Noor Ali also commented, saying: “I’m really excited to help our Asda customers perform Ramadan Fasting and celebrate Eid Festival, by making it as affordable and convenient as possible to fill their shopping baskets with everything they need, across multiple categories.

“I’m also really proud to work with small, family-owned businesses who have really unique offerings and are truly passionate about making Ramadan and Eid as special as it can be, for our Asda customers.”

It comes as Asda has become the first international retailer to stop selling Thai coconut milk in the wake of a recent undercover investigation by animal rights organisation Peta into monkey abuse.