Asda has rolled out allergen, ingredient and calorie information on electronic shelf-edge labels across 142 of its convenience stores. The supermarket said the technology would make important product information for loose bakery items clearer and easier to access at the point of purchase.
The supermarket chain said the technology would provide clearer information about products, including allergens, ingredients, and calories. This information will be displayed alongside prices, promotions, and nutritional content on the shelf labels.
Customers will be able to view the details directly on the shelf labels without needing to scan a QR code or search for the information elsewhere. The update covers around 20 bakery products sold across the participating Asda Express stores.
Asda said the change would help shoppers make safer and more informed choices while improving the way product information is managed and updated by store teams. The supermarket wrote on LinkedIn that customers can quickly access ingredient and allergen information for bakery products on the shelf-edge label.
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The initiative supports Asda’s work around Natasha’s Law, which requires food prepacked for direct sale to carry a complete ingredients list, with any of the 14 regulated allergens emphasized. The legislation was introduced following the death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating a baguette containing sesame that was not listed on its packaging.
While loose bakery products do not fall under the same prepacked-for-direct-sale rules, food businesses are still required to provide allergen information and are encouraged to make it clearly and readily available in writing. Asda’s move to provide this information on shelf labels is a step towards improving customer safety and compliance with the law.
Asda wholesale and convenience service manager Tom Clark described the launch as a “significant step forward” in making food information clearer, more accessible and compliant. He said: “What makes this launch especially impactful is the improved efficiency in how we manage and update product information; the ability to stay safe and legally compliant with timely updates and changes; and a simple, clear display for both store colleagues and customers.”
The technology used for the electronic shelf labels allows prices and other product information to be updated digitally, reducing the need for colleagues to replace paper labels manually. Asda began expanding electronic shelf labels across its Express estate last year, following a trial at its Oxford Road store in Manchester.
