ASDA will create another 1,330 new jobs in Scotland this year as it continues to expand north of the border.
Continuing its ongoing commitment to Scotland, the company will open three new stores in Scotland before the end of the year, with sites in Alloa, Galashiels and Grangemouth due to start trading in September and November*.
The new builds will create a total of 1,130 jobs (300 in Alloa, 480 in Galashiels and 350 in Grangemouth) - increasing ASDA's workforce by nearly 10 per cent in Scotland.
The news follows two recent openings, which included the company’s first Scottish “non-food supermarket” concept, ASDA Living, at Glasgow Fort, and a store in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, both of which began trading earlier this year. They created a total of 200 new jobs between them.
ASDA plans to continue to invest in Scotland in 2007, with stores planned in Stenhousemuir, Dalgety Bay, and a Living store in Edinburgh, amongst others.
A major investment is also planned for the Highlands, with Tain, Banff and Inverness expecting new stores.
ASDA’s regional MD for the North, Glenn Bowles, explains why he sees Scotland as presenting some of the best opportunities for future development:
“Scotland is our traditional heartland, and Scots are some of our most loyal customers. We will be working alongside the communities we serve to ensure the local traders see the benefit of our presence.
"Our COLLECT & SAV£ Scheme, a reciprocal trading initiative with local businesses, was trialled in Huntly earlier this year and has proved very successful, with almost a quarter of the town’s population taking part in the scheme. We hope to introduce this in other towns when we open new stores.”
In addition, ASDA is committed to using local suppliers. “Choice, value and quality are what our customers really want and local food products always seem to hit the spot, particularly so in Scotland. It guarantees more choice for customers and more sales for local suppliers – everyone wins,” says Karen Todd, Head of Local Sourcing for ASDA.
ASDA Local Celebration Weeks are taking place this month offering local food producers the chance to take to the shop floor and give customers a taste of their products.
ASDA carries a wide range of Scottish products including those by Tunnock’s, McCowan’s, Rizza, Baxters, Malcolm Allan, Lees of Scotland, Dean’s of Huntly and Simmers of Edinburgh.
