Asda expands non-food offer
Department store strategy to grow market share
July 14 2002
Asda is following the lead of parent company Wal-Mart with a big expansion into non-food product areas.
By the end of the year, Asda will operates over 300 speciality departments. These will include 67 new supermarket jewellery departments, an additional 30 opticians bringing the total to over 70, and another 29 photo centres giving it 70 one-hour film departments.
Asda also operates 80 pharmacies, but has said expansion plans are effectively on hold pending an OFT report into the way dispensing licences are granted, expected this Autumn. Asda hopes for an overhaul of opening rules to enable it to open pharmacies offering lower prices.
David Miles.speciality business unit director, said: “Rapid expansion into new areas means we’re becoming the new department stores of the 21st century, and by the end of this year almost all our shoppers will be able to see it for themselves at their local ASDA.”
Wal-Mart’s expansion into similar speciality areas enabled it to dominate local retailing and fuel its rapid growth.
