Computer glitch at Asda digs a hole in the supermarket’s pockets

Shoppers at Asda supermarket are making merry due to a computer glitch which has allowed them to claim food vouchers worth thousands of pounds under the Price Guarantee scheme in which Asda pays out vouchers to customers if the goods they buy cost lesser than that of its rivals.

Under Asda’s Price Guarantee scheme, customers enter their receipt details into Asda website and print off coupons if the goods cost less than as compared to a rival supermarket. But, due to a technical error in the computer system, Asda has been undervaluing some of its rivals’ products, which made Asda pay out more vouchers than it should have.

Since its computer system grossly undervalued products at other supermarkets, the customers were able to get money-off vouchers worth up to £40 after every trip to the store. The Price Guarantee scheme also offers 10% more on the value of the voucher.

Shoppers were supposed to be limited to a maximum of ten vouchers of any value worth a total of £100 a month. But they could thwart this by using a different computer and email address to generate more coupons.

One shopper shockingly claims to have made £8,500 from Asda in four weeks due to this computer glitch. The 34-year-old man, who wished to remain anonymous, reaped benefits of Asda’s promise to refund the difference in cost if customers bought items cheaper from a rival supermarket.

The system used for the scheme is operated by the price comparison website MySupermarket on behalf of Asda. Shoppers on consumer site moneysavingexpert.com have amassed receipts which identify products triggering higher value money-off vouchers.

It was retail magazine The Grocer, which pointed out the glitch in a trial where the system mistakenly calculated Asda’s rivals to be much cheaper on certain products. With this enlightenment, Asda immediately limited the coupons to £15 per shop up to a total of £100 a month.

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