A further 1500 jobs will be created through the expansion of online channels Home Shopping and Asda Direct.
The new store programme, which begins with the opening of a store in Andover, Hampshire, in March, will add more than 800,000sq ft to the retailer’s estate, an investment of about £400m.
The continued roll-out of Asda’s pharmacy business will create 500 new jobs, through the opening of 50 new Asda in-store pharmacies.
This will create more than 100 pharmacist positions and 400 new staff jobs and take the number of Asda pharmacies from 147 to almost 200.
The acceleration of Home Shopping to a further 40 stores will create more than 1,300 jobs
The roll-out of Asda Direct, the retailer’s online catalogue business for non-food, will create 200 jobs through the opening of a new distribution centre.
Talking Retail will be speaking with Asda chief executive Andy Bond later today, so check the site for further updates.
