Introduction

ASDA’s Private Label offer extends across the whole range of products in Food, Grocery, Home and Leisure

ASDA/Wal-Mart works closely with its Private Label Suppliers to form strategic relationships to deliver own label products which are the best in the market place and present incredible value to our customers. Product safety, quality and consistency are our highest priority.

To fulfill all of our due diligence obligations and to have the best new product development there are a number of criteria that Suppliers need to meet and satisfy prior to supply. There are also key documents that Suppliers need to be aware of so that they can comply with ASDA's requirements.

New product development 

All stages of product development must be carried out following the current ASDA process which is outlined below. Further information can be found on Web*Traqs.

Pack copy

Pack Copy is information about products presented in an informative and/or interesting way on packaging or labels.

Pack Copy depends therefore on having:

• Reliable and accurate knowledge about the product
• A clear idea of what aspects of the product we want to highlight and how we want to present this information.

Pack Copy satisfies two separate requirements:

• To provide factual information based on legal requirements and ASDA policy - Technical Pack Copy.
• To encourage purchase and highlight attributes and benefits of the food based on marketing requirements and design - Creative Pack Copy.

Technical Pack Copy includes:

• Name of the food
• Ingredient list
• Instructions for use (cooking guide etc.)
• Storage instructions (including the type of minimum durability – best before / use by)
• Country of origin
• Quantity declaration
• Nutrition information (including signposting)
• Statutory warnings (including allergens, genetic modification, irradiation etc.)
• Product specific labelling arising from UK or EU compositional legislation

Technical pack copy is driven by supplier completion of the product specification. Suppliers are responsible for ensuring this is factually and legally correct and reflects the product being supplied.

Suppliers must therefore be familiar with legal and technical requirements applicable to their products.

Creative Pack Copy always includes:

• Product title

It may include:

• A Marketing sub-description or copy
• Nutrition or health claims
• Recipes or meal ideas
• Statements related to provenance of the food or ingredients or a product story
• Information about other products (cross sell)

The detail of Creative Pack Copy is driven by decisions made by ASDA Brand Managers, ASDA Product Managers, ASDA Marketers and Design Managers, Agencies and Suppliers about what we want to say on pack to sell the product. Creative Pack Copy will be coordinated by ASDA Copywriters.

Suppliers are expected to contribute to the creative side of pack copy by suggesting ideas for inclusion on pack. 

Creative pack copy may need to include additional details not intended to appear on pack to substantiate the detail that is intended to be included. This is particularly the case for any nutrition or health claims.

Naming Panels

The two types of pack copy obtained as separate elements within the overall ASDA Brand process will be collated at the Naming Panel to confirm that they are complete and consistent before hand over to artwork.

ASDA Policies – Building Blocks of ASDA Brand

What are They?

Policies are part of the code of practice and are used to detail the framework & standards with which we expect our suppliers to comply and manufacture products to. They also provide guidance on completion of specifications and other documentation.

Where Can I Find Them?

On Web*Traqs – In the document library.

What Do I Need to Do?

ASDA expects all supply sites to read all policies and implement them into their manufacturing and quality systems - and be able to demonstrate implementation upon request. To notify ASDA that this process has been completed or initiated you need to accept the policy on Web*Traqs.

What If I Don't?

Even if a policy is deemed to be irrelevant to a supplier ASDA would still expect the policy to be accepted in order to register acknowledgement. If you have any concerns regarding policy acceptance please contact your ASDA Product Manager.

Third Party Independent Inspection

Each factory/final pack site will be required to have a BRC Audit.

The scope of the inspection as detailed on the BRC certificate needs to cover all the product types which will be supplied to ASDA.

Factories must attain a Grade A, B or C and must remain in certification at all times.

Failure to obtain the above grades will affect your supply status with ASDA and could result in withdrawal of the product from store.

Product Testing

All ASDA Brand products are tested at First Production – Nutritionally / Microbiologically and analytically as  appropriate.

Products also undergo surveillance testing – frequency is determined from a risk assessment of the product.

Customer complaints may also need testing as part of the investigation process.

All tests are carried out by Bodycote Lawlabs an independent accredited laboratory based in Birmingham.

Test results are logged on the Bodycote database. Suppliers are able to access their results through this database, they are responsible for obtaining their login and passwords from the contact details at the bottom of the page.

Product Quality

Product Quality is measured in a number of ways :

• ASDA Product Managers closely monitor customer complaints and issues are discussed at weekly team meetings.
• Panels are also used to assess the quality of Own Label products. These may be carried out within the supply base or at ASDA House sometimes suppliers will be requested to attend panels and to supply samples.

Panels are used to :

• Ensure ongoing product consistency .
• Determine our position in the market place.
• Gain customer feedback.
• Validate Brand Hierarchy.

Customer Complaints

ASDA uses two different systems to collect Customer Complaint Data – CPQC and Defective Returns.

Retail Link

• This uses store EPOS data – accessed using Retail Link.
• Since this information is accessed on Retail Link suppliers can download this information themselves at any time.
• This can be used to run weekly reports.

CPQC

• CPQC is an Internal Web-Based system, email, telephone, letter and store complaints are logged here – including a brief description of the complaint.
• This information is sent out by Technical Services on a weekly basis, so that suppliers can use it to track and trend customer complaints and complete reports required by ASDA.

Incident Management

ASDA Expects - All supply sites to have a documented system in place to detail how any potential or actual breach of food safety, quality requirements or legality will be managed.

Full details can be found in the ASDA Codes of Practice – Located on Web*Traqs.

A major incident often results in the Withdraw or Recall of products.

Withdraw

A product quality issue is identified – E.g. Out of spec product, incorrect date coding. An entire product line or specific date code is withdrawn from store & depot.

Recall

A product is found to be unsafe and/or illegal. E.g. Serious Foreign Body contamination, unacceptable levels of a food poisoning organism. In addition to a withdrawal, a recall requires displays boards in store and national press coverage.

Incident Management – Information to Have to Hand

On direct contact, inform the relevant ASDA personnel of the following details:

• Scale of the issue
  • Site code
  • Supplier Name, your name, address and telephone number
• Brief description of the problem
• Brand name of product involved
• Product description
• Pack size, flavour, type of packaging (i.e: single, multipack etc)
  • Details of production code/Use By or Best Before Date on pack
  • Location of affected stock
  • Corrective action taken to date

Are any of the following people involved:

• Police / Environmental Health / Trading Standards

If you have the following numbers, please also quote these:

• Wal-Mart Number
• Barcode
• Vendor Number

Contact info
Name	Incident Management
Tel	During office hours – Appropriate ASDA Brand Product Manager.
Tel	Out of office hours +44 (0)845 300 9999.