3 weeks ago
Asda Job Shake-Up: 3,500 Cleaners to Change Employers
Some people who clean Asda's shops are getting a new boss.
Asda is a big supermarket in the United Kingdom.
About 3,500 cleaning workers will start working for other companies instead.
Two companies, Bidvest and NIC Services, will take over the cleaning.
Asda says nobody will lose their job because of this change.
The workers' jobs are protected by special rules called TUPE, which look after people when they change employers.
Asda says the new companies have better machines, like robots that clean, and new ways to keep shops tidy.
The GMB union, which supports workers, is not happy and says Asda hid its plans.
Asda is making lots of changes because it is losing money and wants to fix its business.
The change should be finished by October 1.
Around 3,500 Asda cleaning workers will transfer to outside contractors Bidvest and NIC Services.
Bidvest will take stores across northern England and Scotland, while NIC Services handles southern England.
Asda says no redundancies are planned, with the transfer expected to be completed by October 1, 2026.
Workers were told about the proposal on August 11, under TUPE rules that protect existing contracts and continuous service.
The GMB union called the decision 'detestable', saying Asda denied further outsourcing plans when asked in April.
- Who
- Around 3,500 Asda cleaning workers are being transferred to contractors Bidvest and NIC Services; Asda announced the change.
- What
- Asda is outsourcing the cleaning of its UK stores to external contractors with no redundancies planned.
- Where
- Asda stores across the UK: northern England and Scotland go to Bidvest, southern England to NIC Services.
- When
- Announced to workers on August 11, with transfer targeted for completion by October 1, 2026.
- Why
- Part of Asda's wider restructuring after heavy losses, rising debt costs and falling market share, and to gain specialist cleaning equipment and technology.
Workers and Unions
Asda Management
Outsourcing's impact
Workers and Unions
GMB warns outsourcing companies have a record of changing pay, conditions and staffing arrangements, raising questions about what happens after the TUPE protection period.
Asda Management
Asda says outsourcing gives access to specialist equipment and technology, including robotic cleaning, to deliver the 'cleanest stores in retail'.
Transparency
Workers and Unions
GMB says it asked Asda in April whether further outsourcing was planned and was told there were none, and calls the decision 'detestable'.
Asda Management
Asda notes it is the only major supermarket still running an in-house cleaning model, implying external contractors are standard across the sector.
Assurances to workers
Workers and Unions
Unions and The Workers Union want clearer information on pay, hours, holidays, pensions, locations and management before the transfer occurs.
Asda Management
Asda says no redundancies are planned and TUPE protects workers' existing contracts, holiday entitlement and continuous service.
Key facts
- Affected workers
- Around 3,500 cleaning staff
- New employers
- Bidvest (northern England, Scotland); NIC Services (southern England)
- Announcement date
- August 11
- Target completion
- October 1, 2026
- Redundancies
- None planned, according to Asda
- Worker protection
- Expected to transfer under TUPE rules
- Asda 2025 financials
- Pre-tax loss of almost £1 billion; finance costs over £730 million
- Asda net debt
- About £3.1 billion at end of 2025
Sources
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