Bateman v Asda Stores Ltd

Asda wanted to harmonise the employment terms and conditions across all its store staff, and conducted a full consultation exercise with its employees on the proposed changes. The majority of employees agreed to the new contracts of employment, but others did not. Where employees did not accept the new contracts, Asda tried to impose them unilaterally, relying on a provision in the staff handbook that said the employer: "reserved the right to review, revise, amend or replace the contents of this handbook, and introduce new policies from time to time reflecting the changing needs of the business".