British supermarket chain Asda has relaunched its "Happy to Chat" initiative, which offers its delivery drivers the option to add a "Happy to chat about the game" badge to socialise with customers while their shopping is being delivered.

The relaunched scheme is part of a wider campaign across the summer, with Asda aiming to unite all ages and those who love sport.

The retailer’s Community Tracker, which looks at how customers, community groups and colleagues want to support their local communities, revealed that 60% of people surveyed think more needs to be done to combat loneliness and social isolation. The elderly were identified as the group most in need of support.

The initiative first launched as a trial in November 2020 in conjunction with the Royal Voluntary Service after it was recognised that the drivers formed a lifeline for some people throughout the Covid pandemic, with almost a quarter (23%) of customers admitting they were only interacting with others once a week - many being delivery drivers.

Asda chief commercial officer David Hills commented: “This badge is a symbol of our colleagues’ continued friendly and approachable service which can make such a difference to those that don’t have much contact with others. We want to make sure that whether it’s in our stores, at the doorstep or in the community – we’re here for customers this summer.”

In addition to the badges, in June 2024 more than 100 Asda Stores will be hosting "Nan zones" in either their stores or local communities for elderly customers to watch live sporting events with complimentary refreshments.

Asda’s ownership recently underwent a change as funds managed by UK-based private equity firm TDR Capital acquired shares owned by Zuber Issa.