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Wednesday 21st February, 2007
NEW ASDA STORES HELP DELIVER 8,000 NEW JOBS IN 2007

18 superstores and 10 ASDA Living stores in next 12 months

ASDA is creating 8,000 news jobs and building a minimum of 18 new stores across the UK this year, the company announced today.

In addition, it  is to carry out major extensions and improvements to 15 of its existing stores and roll out the successful non-food format 'ASDA Living' to a further 10 sites within the next 12 months. 

News of the expansion was announced today ( Wednesday Feb 21st ) by ASDA President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Bond after the release of parent company Wal-Mart's full year financial results.  

In addition, ASDA will be opening its first ever Living store in Belfast on Friday (February 23rd ).  The new 41,000sq ft store will be the first ASDA non-food format to launch in Northern Ireland. 

Said ASDA Chief Financial Officer Judith Mckenna: "This is a major investment which will enable ASDA to provide even better service and great value products to more people across the UK than ever before."  

Over 4000 new jobs will be created by the new store build programme alone.  An additional 2000 new jobs will be created through ASDA's new 'Seasonal Plus Scheme' providing customers and colleagues with extra help during peak trading periods. These new jobs will be spread across all of ASDA's 334 UK stores .  And a further 2000 new jobs will be created through organic growth across the company.       

The acceleration of the ASDA Living programme will play an integral part in ASDA's growth this year, with a further ten stores planned - the first sites are to open in Belfast later this week, followed by Oldham in April.   

ASDA will also launch its first ecologically sensitive store format with the launch of a timber framed superstore in Shaw near Oldham. The unique design, which marks the first stage in ASDA's new energy efficient store build programme, is built on the site of Shaw mill, using bricks and timber from the original building. 

The 35,000 sq ft store will also trial a new natural ventilation system -  north lights - reducing energy consumption considerably. As a result, this new specification ASDA store will be 20% more energy efficient than existing stores in the supermarket chain. 

Expansion plans for 2007 include, amongst others, new stores in Walsall, Shaw, Girvan, Ardrossan, Folkestone, Wishaw, Tonypandy, Highbridge and Seaham.  

Eniskillen and Strabane will both benefit from store re-sites.  

-ends-

Notes for Editors

Jobs Breakdown: 

4,000 - Expansion

2,000 - Seasonal Plus Scheme

2,000 - Organic Growth  

New Stores 

ASDA will open at least 20 new ASDA stores throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  this year and 10 Living stores, creating over 4,000  new jobs. 

New stores in 2007 include the following

Walsall – creating 65,000sq ft net sales space and 650 new jobs

Shaw – creating 35,500sq ft net sales space and 360 new jobs

Girvan – creating 15,000sq ft net sales space and 150 new jobs

Ardrossan – creating 25,000sq ft net sales space and 250 new jobs

Folkestone – creating 53,000sq ft net sales space and 550 new jobs

Wishaw – creating 25,000 sq ft net sales space and 250 new jobs

Tonypandy– creating 30,000sq ft net sales space and 300 new jobs

Highbridge – creating 25,000 sq ft net sales space and 250 new jobs

Seaham – creating 25,000 sq ft net sales space and 250 new jobs 

Other new store locations will be confirmed later in the year. 

Resites

Enniskillen - creating an additional  19,000 sq ft sales space and 175 new jobs

Strabane - creating an additional 22,000 sq ft sales space and 200 new jobs 

New non-food stores ASDA plans to open 10 Living stores in 2007, which will include sites in the following locations:

Oldham, – creating 30,000 sq ft net sales space and 110 new jobs

Belfast – creating 29,000 sq ft net sales space and 110 new jobs 

Details of further sites are yet to be confirmed.  



 

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