Asda cancels the 3 for 2 promotion: shoppers lose the chance to buy three sandwiches.

According to The Sun: Shoppers express mixed opinions about the new offer from Asda, which cancels the opportunity to buy three sandwiches or pasta at a reduced price for several meals.

This week Asda introduced a new promotion to replace the existing "three for two" program at Food To Go Counters.

The new lunch will now include a main dish, a snack, and a drink for £3.74, making it the cheapest lunch without a loyalty card.

However, some customers are reconsidering their lunch plans as they can no longer buy three main dishes, such as sandwiches or pasta, for the price of two.

This option allowed for saving food for later instead of buying a drink and a snack.

One customer expressed on hotukdeals.com: “I used to buy 3 sandwiches and put them in the fridge at work.”

Another noted that he will now have to make lunches himself: “I liked the 3 for 2 deal because I bought 3 sandwiches and a pack of drinks, and then put them in the office fridge.”

“Looks like I have to get back to making sandwiches at home again.”

The benefit of the old promotion was the ability to buy cheaper sandwiches for a group of people.

On hotukdeals.com, one Asda shopper explained: “It’s a shame they canceled it since I’m not really interested in snacks or drinks, and for a group, buying 3 (or 6) sandwiches was very beneficial, especially when there were discounts on them.”

Another added: “What a pity, as one of us at work used to buy 3 sandwiches and a cheap drink, and those were lunches for three people for about £2.20 each!”

“That was my last reason to shop at Asda at all!”

Customers could also buy “tasty” items, such as Monster energy drinks or chocolate, under the three for two promotion to share with friends or colleagues.

One customer said on Reddit: “I usually buy two drinks and a large chocolate bar to share with a colleague on break, and he does the same on the second break. Now it will be more expensive.”

Asda reassured that customers can save more with the new lunch, receiving discounts of up to 50% on the price of individual items.

Amy Wotherspoon, Food to Go buyer at the retail store, added: “At Asda, we believe that good value should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we are launching a new lunch for £3.74, available to all customers – no app or membership needed, and with a wide selection of products, so everyone can find something for themselves.”

According to new government regulations that will take effect on October 1, multi-buy promotions, such as “buy one – get one free” or “three for two”, will be banned for products high in fat, salt, or sugar.

This is believed to be one of the reasons for Asda's cancellation of the three for two promotion and its replacement with a new lunch that complies with the new regulations.

What other lunch news?

Sainsbury’s raised the price of its premium lunch by 50p just a few weeks after Tesco did the same.

The supermarket chain now charges £5.50 for its pricier lunches, up from £5.

Sainsbury’s also increased the price of its standard lunches in June.

The offer increased from £3.75 to £3.95, causing dissatisfaction among its customers and staff.

The Sun reported last month that Tesco also raised the price of its standard lunch.

The popular offer jumped from £3.60 to £3.85 for Clubcard holders.

Its premium lunch also became £5.50 – or £6 if you are not a Clubcard holder.

And the 'lunch for two' offers at Tesco and Sainsbury’s increased from £12 to £15 for loyalty card holders.

How to save money on grocery shopping

Chief consumer reporter James Flinders shares how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:

• Odd boxes – many retailers offer slightly misshaped fruit and vegetables or surplus goods at discounted prices.
• Lidl sells five kilograms of fruit and vegetables for only £1.50 through its Waste Not program, while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags with £10 worth of products for just £3.30.
• Sainsbury’s also sells boxes of fruit and vegetables for £2 “Taste, Don’t Waste” to help shoppers reduce food waste and save money.
• Food waste reduction apps – such apps help shops, cafes, restaurants, and other businesses sell items nearing expiration to community members.
• Some of the most well-known ones are Too Good to Go and Olio.
• The Too Good to Go app is free to sign up for and is used by millions of people across the UK, allowing users to purchase discounted food.
• Olio works similarly, but users can collect food and other household items from neighbors and businesses for free.
• Discounted items – discounted items, sometimes orange or red in some supermarkets, are a great way to buy food at affordable prices.
• But the best time to go for the best deals varies by retailer. You can find out about the best hours for each supermarket here.
• Cheap deals – join Facebook groups for deal hunting, such as Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, where shoppers regularly post their finds, including groceries.
• “Switch to cheaper prices” – you’re likely to always save by choosing economy private label products over premium brands.
• Switching to lower lines, also known as “switching to lower price,” and recommended by consumer expert Martin Lewis, can save you hundreds of pounds a year on your shopping.