Asda this week put a figure on its online ambitions, saying that it aims to turn over £3bn a year from the channel by 2018. It said Click and Collect would form a “significant” part of the approach, with the service set to be offered from more than 1,000 sites in the next five years, up from the current 218.
The target is part of Asda’s five-year plan as set out by chief executive Andy Clarke this week. Priorities also include investing £1bn into lowering prices, £250m into improving product quality, and a commitment to widen customer access to Asda from 53% of the UK to 70% by opening new stores and throught the expansion of click and collect.
The update came as Asda said third-quarter like-for-like sales rose by 0.3% in the 13 weeks to October 4.
Clarke, chief executive and president of Asda, said he was pleased with the performance in tough market conditions where customer budgets remain “under intense pressure”.
“Looking to the longer term,” he said, “we recognised some time ago that no matter whether the macro economy is slowly improving, every day finances remain under pressure and our customers have less time. Consequently they are changing the way they live, budget and shop, to adapt to this new economic reality.”
He said the £1bn investment in lower prices, to be funded, along with the other investments detailed, through operational savings and Walmart’s global buying power, would widen the price gap between it and the other three big supermarkets, while bringing it closer to value discounters, such as Aldi and Lidl, who have prospered in the recession.
