Amid falling sales, Asda is committing £13m to enhance store hours this festive season.
- In the third quarter, Asda saw non-fuel revenues decline by 2.5% to £5.3bn.
- The supermarket’s like-for-like sales decreased by 4.8%, marking an improvement from the previous quarter.
- Asda aims to improve customer service during the festive rush with increased staff presence.
- Chairman Stuart Rose highlights the importance of enhancing customer experience amidst significant organisational changes.
Asda is navigating through a period of declining sales with a strategic £13 million investment aimed at extending store hours during the festive season. This decision comes after the supermarket chain reported a 2.5% decrease in non-fuel revenues, dropping to £5.3 billion in the third quarter. Although a decrease was noted, it represents an improvement from the previous quarter’s performance.
The supermarket’s like-for-like sales also experienced a downturn, falling by 4.8%. Despite these challenges, Asda remains committed to enhancing key areas such as product availability and customer service. The recently allocated funds are intended to ensure sufficient staffing during peak shopping times, thus improving the shopping experience.
Stuart Rose, Asda’s chairman, reflected on the significant transformation the company has undergone over the past three years. He highlighted the doubling of the store footprint and entry into emerging markets such as convenience and food-to-go, alongside advancements in digital capabilities. These changes, although necessary for long-term growth, have temporarily impacted the in-store customer experience.
Emphasising the need for priority investment, Rose stated, “We have been investing further and taking the right decisions to deliver an enhanced and more consistent in-store experience for our customers, as we set out in our Q2 results in August.” The focus is now directed towards delivering exemplary customer service consistently, particularly during the bustling Christmas period.
Asda’s strategic investments aim to bolster customer satisfaction and sustain growth amidst the festive shopping surge.
