Yes, you can refuse ASDA substitutions. You can turn substitutions off when reviewing your order at checkout, either for particular products or for the whole shop where the option is available.
You can also reject an unwanted substitute when the delivery arrives or when you collect your order. Tell the driver or collection colleague which replacement you do not want so it can be recorded and removed from the final charge.
Check every substitute carefully before accepting it, especially when you have an allergy, intolerance or other dietary requirement.
How ASDA substitutions work
When an ordered product is unavailable, ASDA may select a similar item as a replacement.
The substitute could be:
- A different brand
- Another pack size
- A similar flavour
- A comparable variety
- Several smaller packs instead of one larger pack
- An own-brand or branded alternative
A replacement should be shown as a substitute on the order information or final receipt.
ASDA does not guarantee that the alternative will be identical to the original product. Ingredients, allergens, pack sizes and nutritional information can differ even when two products appear similar.
How to turn off ASDA substitutions
ASDA says substitution preferences can be changed during checkout.
The usual process is:
- Add your groceries to the trolley.
- Continue to checkout.
- Find the substitutions section.
- Select the option to view your substitution settings.
- Turn substitutions off for individual products where required.
- Turn off all substitutions if you do not want replacements for the whole order.
- Review the preferences before confirming the shop.
ASDA explains the current controls on its official substitution settings page.
The wording and layout may differ between the website and mobile app. Check the options displayed during each checkout rather than assuming a previous preference still applies.
Can you turn off substitutions for one item?
Yes. ASDA says customers can use the checkbox in the substitution section to request no replacement for a specific product.
This can be useful when:
- Only one particular brand is suitable
- You need an exact flavour or variety
- The item is required for a recipe
- Other pack sizes would be impractical
- The product must meet dietary requirements
- A replacement could contain an allergen
You can still allow substitutions for the rest of the order.
For example, you might accept a different brand of kitchen roll but turn substitutions off for specialist gluten-free bread.
Can you turn off every substitution?
ASDA also provides an option to request no substitutions for the entire order.
When this setting is selected, unavailable products should be removed rather than replaced. This reduces the chance of receiving unsuitable alternatives, but it can also leave important items missing from your shop.
Before turning every substitute off, consider whether you would accept alternatives for basic products such as:
- Household cleaning products
- Tinned food
- Toilet roll
- Bottled water
- Basic vegetables
- Standard cupboard ingredients
Product-specific settings may give you more control than refusing every replacement.
Can you change substitution preferences after checkout?
You may be able to change substitution preferences by amending the order before the amendment deadline shown in Your Orders.
To check:
- Sign in to your ASDA account.
- Open Your Orders.
- Select the confirmed order.
- Choose the amendment option.
- Review the substitution settings.
- Make the required changes.
- Complete checkout again.
- Confirm that the amended order has been saved.
Opening the order is not enough. You must complete the amendment process again or the original preferences may remain in place.
Changing products and substitution settings forms part of managing an ASDA online grocery order.
Once the amendment deadline has passed, it may be too late to change the preferences online because the store could already be picking the order.
Can you refuse a substitute at the door?
Yes. You can reject an unwanted substitute when the driver delivers the groceries.
Tell the driver clearly which replacement you do not want before the handover is completed. The driver should record the product as returned.
Check that you are rejecting the correct item, particularly when several substitutes have been supplied.
It can help to:
- Review the substitution list before the driver arrives.
- Keep the list open on your mobile phone.
- Check the product and pack size.
- Tell the driver which item you are rejecting.
- Keep the final receipt or order record.
- Check the completed payment afterwards.
Do not assume that leaving the product in a bag without telling the driver will automatically remove it from the charge.
Can you refuse substitutions at click and collect?
Yes. You can reject unwanted substitutes when collecting an ASDA grocery order.
Review the replacements before leaving the collection point and tell the colleague which products you do not want.
ASDA should remove rejected substitutes from the order payment where they are returned during collection.
The handover arrangements may depend on the type of ASDA click and collect service used at the location, so raise the issue before driving away.
Will ASDA charge you for a refused substitute?
ASDA says returned items are removed before it takes the full payment, so you may not see a separate refund.
Online grocery payments can involve a temporary authorisation based on the estimated order total. The amount initially reserved by your bank may therefore include a substitute that you later reject.
After the product is returned, you may see:
- A lower completed payment
- A pending amount that later changes
- The original authorisation disappear
- The unused amount return to your available balance
- No separate refund transaction
Check the final receipt and completed bank payment rather than relying only on the amount initially reserved.
Why is the rejected substitute still showing on my bank account?
The amount may still be part of a pending payment authorisation.
A pending authorisation is not always the final amount ASDA has collected. Your bank may temporarily reserve the estimated value of the order before replacing it with the completed charge.
Compare:
- The estimated checkout total.
- The temporary pending amount.
- The final ASDA receipt.
- The completed bank transaction.
If the substitute appears on the final receipt and completed charge despite being returned, report the problem to ASDA.
Incorrect charges, rejected products and refund requests are handled through the ASDA returns, refunds and substitutions process.
What if you notice an unsuitable substitute after the driver leaves?
Open the completed order in Your Orders and check whether the product is listed as a substitution.
Where the refund option is available:
- Sign in to your account.
- Open Your Orders.
- Select the relevant delivery.
- Review the final receipt.
- Choose the option to report a problem or request a refund.
- Select the substituted product.
- Explain why it is unsuitable.
- Add photographs if requested.
- Keep the confirmation.
Contact ASDA Grocery Customer Services when no suitable reporting option appears or the online request is rejected.
Keep the product and packaging until ASDA confirms whether it needs any further information.
Can chilled and frozen substitutes be returned?
ASDA’s refund guidance states that chilled and frozen products can be returned to the driver when they are substituted products, damaged or the wrong item has been supplied.
Raise the issue during the handover whenever possible. This allows the driver to record the return before the final payment is completed.
Once chilled or frozen food has been accepted and stored at home, ASDA may need to assess the request differently.
Do not leave temperature-sensitive products unrefrigerated while deciding whether to keep them.
What if a substitute contains an allergen?
Do not consume the product.
A replacement may have different:
- Ingredients
- Allergen warnings
- Manufacturing methods
- Cross-contamination statements
- Recipe information
- Dietary labels
Check the current packaging every time. Do not assume that an alternative brand or flavour has the same allergen status as the original item.
Turn substitutions off for products where an unsuitable replacement could create a safety risk. However, no online preference should be treated as a guarantee of allergy safety.
Check every delivered product before use and consult ASDA’s current allergen information when necessary.
What if the substitute does not meet your dietary requirements?
Reject the product if it is unsuitable for your needs.
This could include a replacement that is not:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Halal
- Kosher
- Gluten-free
- Lactose-free
- Low-salt
- Alcohol-free
Product names and packaging can look similar even when the ingredients or certification differ.
Explain the issue clearly when reporting it after delivery. Do not simply state that you dislike the substitute when the more important problem is that it does not meet a dietary requirement.
What if ASDA sends a different pack size?
A different size may be an intended substitution.
Check:
- The quantity supplied
- The total amount of product
- The substitute shown on the receipt
- The amount charged
- Whether several smaller packs replaced one larger pack
A different size is not automatically unsuitable. However, you can refuse it when it does not meet your needs.
For example, several small packs may be inconvenient even when their combined quantity is similar to the original item.
What if the substitute costs more?
Check the price treatment shown on the final receipt.
Do not rely on the shelf price or the amount displayed beside the original product. Promotions, pack sizes and online prices may affect the calculation.
When you believe ASDA charged more than expected:
- Keep the substitute.
- Check the final receipt.
- Take a photograph of the packaging and pack size.
- Compare it with the listed substitution.
- Report the pricing issue through Your Orders or customer services.
Reject the product at the door if you do not want it, regardless of whether it costs more or less.
What if the substitute costs less?
Check that the final charge reflects the product supplied and ASDA’s substitution pricing rules.
A cheaper substitute may still be unacceptable because of its size, quality, ingredients or intended use.
When the price appears incorrect, provide ASDA with:
- The original product
- The substitute received
- The pack sizes
- The final amount charged
- Photographs where useful
Do not assume the system will automatically correct every pricing difference without checking the final receipt.
What if the substitute is the wrong product entirely?
First determine whether the item appears as a recorded substitution.
If the receipt does not list it as an alternative, it may be a picking error rather than an intended substitute.
Report:
- The product ordered
- The expected substitution, if any
- The product received
- The pack size
- The barcode
- The amount charged
- Whether the original product is also missing
A wrong item and an unsuitable substitution are related but separate problems. Giving ASDA the correct description can make the issue easier to investigate.
Can you keep a substitute and request a refund?
Do not assume that you can keep an acceptable product and receive a refund simply because it was not the original item.
A refund request should explain why the substitute was unsuitable, incorrect, damaged or otherwise unacceptable.
ASDA may consider:
- Whether the replacement was recorded
- Whether it was returned to the driver
- Whether the packaging has been opened
- Whether the item was damaged
- Whether the wrong product was supplied
- Whether there was a safety or dietary issue
Follow the instructions ASDA provides for the particular product.
Can the driver replace a substitute with another item?
Normally, no. The driver delivers the products selected and packed by the store.
The vehicle is not a mobile shop from which the driver can choose a different replacement.
The driver may be able to:
- Record that you rejected the substitute
- Take the product back
- Check whether another bag remains in the vehicle
- Explain how the return will be recorded
If you still need the original item, you may have to buy it separately or include it in another order.
Can ASDA redeliver the original product?
ASDA is more likely to remove or refund an unwanted substitute than arrange a separate delivery for one grocery item.
A redelivery may not be practical because of:
- Product availability
- Driver capacity
- Distance from the store
- Delivery costs
- The remaining route
- The value of the product
Only ASDA can confirm whether another delivery is possible.
Do not place an additional order solely for the original product until you understand what happened to the payment for the substitute.
What happens when no substitute is available?
If the original product is unavailable and ASDA cannot provide an alternative, the item should be removed from the completed shop.
You should not be charged for an item that was not supplied.
The final payment may simply be lower than the original estimated total. You may not see a separate refund if ASDA removes the item before completing the charge.
What happens to multibuy offers?
An unavailable or rejected substitute can affect a multibuy promotion.
The final result may depend on:
- Whether the replacement qualified for the offer
- Whether enough qualifying products were supplied
- Whether the substitute was rejected
- Whether another item replaced it
- How ASDA calculated the final receipt
Check the promotional saving after delivery.
Contact ASDA if rejecting a substitute appears to have caused an incorrect charge. Explain which products formed part of the offer and provide the relevant section of the receipt.
What happens to ASDA Rewards?
ASDA says you will not receive Rewards for a product when you do not accept the substitute or when the original item is unavailable and no replacement is supplied.
A rejected substitute could therefore affect:
- Star Product earnings
- Mission progress
- Product-specific rewards
- Spending-based promotions
Check the Rewards app after the order and payment have been processed.
The original unavailable product should not automatically count as purchased merely because it appeared in your trolley.
Can you add notes about acceptable substitutes?
The options available can change, but ASDA may provide product preferences or notes during the ordering process.
When a notes field is available, keep the instruction clear and practical. For example:
- Any brand, but no added sugar
- Similar size only
- Vegetarian alternative only
- No flavoured version
- Do not replace with a multipack
A note does not guarantee that a suitable product will be available or selected.
For allergy-related needs, turning substitutions off and checking the delivered packaging is safer than relying only on a note.
How to reduce unsuitable ASDA substitutions
Before submitting the order:
- Review every product marked as important.
- Turn substitutions off where only the exact product is suitable.
- Allow alternatives for flexible household basics.
- Check dietary and allergen requirements.
- Use clear product notes where available.
- Complete checkout and confirm the preferences.
- Review the substitution list before delivery.
- Check replacements during the handover.
This approach reduces unwanted products without automatically removing every unavailable item from the shop.
When should you contact ASDA?
Contact ASDA Grocery Customer Services when:
- You were charged for a substitute rejected at the door
- The driver did not record the returned product
- An unsuitable substitute creates an allergy or safety concern
- The product does not match the recorded substitution
- The pricing appears incorrect
- A complete bag contains another customer’s products
- The refund option is unavailable
- A refund request is rejected
- The same substitution problem occurs repeatedly
Provide the order number, product name, substitute received, amount charged and any photographs requested.
Only ASDA can check the picking, substitution, return and payment records for the order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tell ASDA not to substitute anything?
Yes. ASDA provides a checkout option to turn off substitutions for the whole order, subject to the controls currently displayed.
Do I have to accept an ASDA substitute?
No. You can reject an unwanted replacement when it is delivered or collected.
Will I get a refund for a refused substitute?
ASDA says returned items are removed before full payment is taken, so you may see a lower final charge rather than a separate refund.
Can I refuse only one substitute?
Yes. You can accept some replacements and reject others during the delivery or collection handover.
Why did ASDA substitute an item when I turned substitutions off?
Check whether the setting was saved by completing checkout after the change. If the final order confirms that substitutions were disabled but a replacement was still supplied, report the issue to ASDA.