Supermarket giant saw sales decline in last three months of 2019
Leeds-headquartered Asda supermarket posted a 1.3% decline in like-for-like sales excluding petrol for the period 1 October to 31 December 2019.
Whilst overall performance in the quarter was hit by challenging market conditions – particularly in clothing – the supermarket chain said its core food business proved more stable.
Asda CEO and president, Roger Burnley, said: “We continued to improve our price position versus the previous quarter, and year on year, whilst our trusted combination of great value and quality ranges with a touch of Asda personality resonated strongly with customers.
“Our home shopping operation continued to deliver double-digit growth in the fourth quarter – up 10.3% year on year – and we continue to innovate in this area.
“During the quarter we rolled out Same Day Delivery to 284 stores and trialled a ‘one hour Click and Collect’ service in two shops. Following positive customer feedback, this service is being extended across the chain from today – helping our customers save even more time in their busy lives.”
Burnley said that over Christmas, customers were more careful about their spending, with many choosing to pare back gift lists and focus presents on children rather than adults and extended family.
“We continue to develop our store proposition, maximising our space and testing new concepts for our customers,” he added.
“We’re ambitious to deliver even more for customers in 2020 and have entered the year with an even sharper focus on driving forward our strategy, which is anchored in saving our customers time as well as money.”
