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Asda beats the market again with sales leap
Evening Standard 14 May 2009ASDA claimed to be eating rivals for lunch today as it stepped up the pressure on Tesco, Sainsbury's and the rest.
The UK's second-biggest supermarket chain reported growth in the first quarter that few rivals, Wm Morrison aside, can get close to matching.
Sales are up 8.4%, the 12th quarter on the run when it has beaten the market.
Asda is owned by US behemoth Wal-Mart, the biggest company in the world by sales.
It claims to be “winning customers from all competitors and growing at more than twice the rate of the market”.
All supermarkets have done well during the recession, as hard-pressed families spend ever higher portions of their income at the large stores.
Asda didn't break out profit figures, but insists they too are on the up.
Wal-Mart itself made $3 billion (£2 billion) in the past three months, the same as a year ago.
Asda chief financial officer Judith McKenna said: “These are difficult times for many of our customers, so delivering great value has never been more important.
“We are really proud of our performance.”
Asda has roughly a 17% market share, compared with 30% for Tesco.
Reader views (3)
My local Sainsburys this morning had half the checkouts closed and little huddles of staff standing chatting while customers queued. Compare this to Asda where every checkout was working, the bill was lower and there was no more than 1 person waiting in any queue. Forget store loyalty, shop where prices are lower and they dont insult their customers by closing half the tills.
- Linda, London, 14/05/2009 18:59
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THE ASDA LOGO SAYS IT ALL,
THATS ASDA PRICE, ENOUGH SAID.
- John L., Scarborough North Yorkshire, U.K., 14/05/2009 18:58
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I having shopped at sainburys for the last 20 years ,but since last october i switched our weekly family of 5 shop to asda, the savings i have made are amazing, i still dont buy any meats from asda, but everthing else and ive been saving £40 a week there...amazing...
- Liza, SW London, 14/05/2009 16:55
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