Asda has announced it will offer priority access to slots to support 5,000 nurseries who shop online with the supermarket and continue to provide essential childcare services under lockdown.
Recognising the vital role that nurseries play in supporting parents – including many Asda colleagues – the supermarket has provided thousands of nursery customers with a ‘Priority Pass’, allowing them to benefit from advance access to slots up to 21 days in advance, and the opportunity to book a recurring slot to secure a regular grocery order each week.
The supermarket has guaranteed these customers will receive priority access until the end of the summer. In addition to this new initiative for nurseries, Asda has also confirmed it will be extending its Priority Pass offer for more than 400,000 Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) customers and 2,500 care homes – meaning they too will benefit from priority access until the end of August.
The retailer has been able to extend support for its most vulnerable customers thanks to an increase in online capacity, which has seen it expand the number of weekly slots available in a matter of months, up from 450,000 in early 2020 to 850,000 at the start of 2021, with another 50,000 expected by April.
By extending priority access through the summer, Asda has reaffirmed its commitment to serving those most in need of support and offers further peace of mind for customers currently shielding at home or providing care to those in care homes.
Simon Gregg, Vice President of Online Grocery at Asda, said: “Nurseries provide a vital service to parents across the UK, including many Asda colleagues, who continue to benefit from their support under lockdown. By giving them priority access to slots it will enable them to receive regular grocery deliveries, which makes it possible for them to continue serving communities and carrying out their essential role.
“Since the start of the pandemic we have increased delivery capacity and accelerated our online expansion to meet levels we had anticipated reaching in eight years in a matter of months, and it is because of this that we are able to extend our support for our most vulnerable customers.
“We have supported Clinically Extremely Vulnerable customers since shielding began and throughout the winter, and I am pleased that we are able to extend our Priority Pass offer to give further peace of mind as the vaccine programme rolls out.”
