Asda rolls out fixed-price £3.74 meal deal to take on rivals

Asda has rolled out its first fixed-price meal deal, pricing a main, snack and drink at £3.74. The offer is available online and in all stores, including Asda Express, and does not require a loyalty card. It replaces the retailer’s three-for-two deal at Food to Go counters.

Shoppers can choose from 132 mains, 336 snacks and 222 drinks as part of the deal, giving a broad spread of options across stores. In one highlighted combination, a chicken and bacon triple wrap, toffee apple slices and a Starbucks Grande Cup would typically cost £7.38, illustrating the potential savings available under the fixed-price model. Asda said the deal is the lowest-priced non-membership meal deal on the market and that customers can save up to 50% on the items compared with buying them individually outside the deal. Amy Wotherspoon, the buyer of food to go at Asda, said: 'At Asda, we believe great value should be available to everyone. That’s why we’re launching the new £3.74 Meal Deal that is completely open to all customers – with no app or membership required, and a big range of products to choose from so there’s something for everyone.'

To make the most out of a lunchtime meal deal, shoppers are often advised to select the most expensive items available within the bundle. The value-focused rollout comes as households across Britain contend with elevated living costs and taxes, with food inflation reported at 5.1% in August, up from 4.9% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The new price point also serves as a direct comparison to rivals’ meal deals, which have shifted under price pressure in recent weeks. Tesco currently charges £4.25 for its no-loyalty-card meal deal, though it has also raised some prices for Clubcard holders to £3.85. Tesco runs a large selection of products in its standard meal deal framework, with around 236 items typically included. Tesco noted that some of the most expensive items in its standard meal deal can exceed £8 when bought separately and said its meal deal remains a value option for many shoppers.

Sainsbury’s standard meal deal now costs £3.95 and is available online, in Sainsbury’s Local stores and in larger outlets. The chain previously nudged its price up by 20p in June, and again in July, reflecting ongoing adjustments across major grocers. Morrisons offers its standard meal deal at £3.60 for customers with a Morrisons More Card, and £4 for those without membership. With more than 1,700 stores nationwide, Morrisons positions its network as a convenient option for suburban and road-trip stops. Co-op members can access a £3.50 meal deal that includes a main, side and drink; shoppers without a loyalty card pay £4. Waitrose’s standard meal deal runs £5, making it among the more expensive options, though the retailer notes that some individual items can compensate for the higher price. Boots, while not a supermarket, has a well-established meal deal at £3.75 with a Boots Advantage card, or £4 without a card.

The evolving landscape underscores the intensity of competition in the value segment as chains respond to inflation and shopper sensitivity to price. Analysts say fixed-price offers like Asda’s provide a simple, transparent proposition that can help households budget for a lunch or snack without regard to membership schemes or app-based access.

Asda said it expects to sell about 700,000 meal deals this week and highlighted the classic cheese and onion sandwich as its most popular main option so far. The retailer stressed that the £3.74 price is available across its footprint, reflecting its aim to broaden access to value across different store formats.

The move also signals a broader trend in which supermarkets are increasingly recalibrating meal deals to emphasize affordability and straightforward savings rather than loyalty-driven discounts. For shoppers juggling rising prices, the fixed-price model offers a predictable, lump-sum option that can simplify meal planning during lunch hours.

Asda’s leadership said the policy of no app or loyalty card required is designed to keep the offer accessible to all customers, reinforcing the retailer’s emphasis on broad-based value rather than membership-centric perks. The company did not indicate whether this fixed-price structure would extend to other meal categories or be adjusted in response to future price pressures, but the current rollout is positioned as a test of how a fixed-price model can perform in a high-inflation environment.

In markets outside the United Kingdom, other retailers have adopted varying approaches to meal deals and bundled lunch options, but the central question remains whether fixed-price deals can sustain volume growth and improve margins in a landscape where food costs continue to rise. For now, Asda’s £3.74 meal deal provides a concrete option for shoppers seeking predictable lunchtime pricing amid ongoing cost-of-living concerns.