Asda launch 'volunteer card' to help family and neighbours buy groceries for self-isolators

The 'volunteer shopping card’ will give those self-isolating a contact-free way to allow others to collect and pay for their weekly shop.

The scheme has been designed to create a ‘ contact free’ and safe way for people to provide funds to those shopping on their behalf and creates mechanism for the millions of volunteers across the country pledging to step in and help those in need, including the 750,000 volunteers that have signed up to help the NHS.

Customers can buy a ‘Volunteer shopping card’ online and then keep topping it up, up to £150 worth of credit, which volunteers can then use to buy essential groceries.

From today, customers can go to asda.com/volunteercard to sign up – where they will then be able to buy a voucher, ready for use. The customer or their volunteer will then receive a barcode via email that can be used to pay for the shopping.

In a continued effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the volunteer shopping card provides an easy solution for those self-isolating to pay for shopping, without the added hassle or risk of using cash or debit cards. It gives customers confidence that they don’t need to share card details, whilst reducing contact with volunteers who are helping to drop much needed essentials straight the doorsteps of those in need, as safely as possible.

Roger Burnley, CEO and President of Asda, said: “We are continuing to work around the clock to look for new ways to support communities through COVID-19. Over the last two weeks we’ve brought in over 50 million core essentials for our customers. We have also made over 37,000 deliveries to our stores, ensuring our shops are safe and well stocked for our customers to visit.

“We are working with DEFRA on ensuring the most vulnerable in society have access to food, as well as encouraging those who can shop in stores to do so – so that we can focus our growing online capacity on those who do need to stay indoors. We know that many people are relying on others in this time of need, and it is amazing to see how the country has come together and so many volunteers are giving their time to help others, so we wanted to help make it easier for them with this simple payment solution.”