ASDA is going posh – after admitting that rivals WAITROSE and SAINSBURY’S sell better quality food.
In a startling confession, new chief Andy Clarke said yesterday the store giant had been too “one dimensional” by focusing on price.
He revealed Asda would be re-launching hundreds of meat, fish and vegetable items at the beginning of September.
In his first interview since taking over, the boss told Sun City: “We want to broaden our appeal.
“Pricing is fundamental to us. Quality is something we haven’t spent time on.
“We are behind Waitrose and behind Sainsbury’s.
“It would be wrong of me to say we are going to have Waitrose quality at Asda price. But there is going to be a step change in our quality.”
Mr Clarke said Asda had more well-heeled shoppers than all its rivals because of its competitiveness on price. But he said many just picked off tins and packets.
The admission came as Asda revealed that sales fell again – this time by 0.4 per cent – in the three months to June 30. And industry figures showed the chain lost market share in the past 12 weeks – while both Sainsbury’s and MORRISONS gained business.