ASDA announced today (28th January) it will create more than 7,000 new jobs in 2009, and will recruit up to 3000 long-term unemployed for existing vacancies through Local Employment Partnerships and Remploy -ASDA‘s recruitment partner for people with disabilities and health conditions.

The move will help provide full and part time roles to thousands of people who have been unemployed for more than six months and are finding it difficult to re-enter the labour market.

The supermarket will create 3,700 new jobs throughout the UK with the opening of nine new food stores, five new ASDA Living outlets (its non food format) and extensions to 15 existing stores.

ASDA President and CEO, Andy Bond, today (2nd January) threw down a challenge to his supermarket rivals by vowing to help hard pressed shoppers make ends meet during 2009 by cutting the prices of essential items that customers need to buy every week.

Last autumn he launched a major initiative to cut unnecessary costs out of ASDA’s business. Since then ASDA colleagues have saved millions of pounds by using less energy, cutting waste and reducing the number of carrier bags they give away.

ASDA will use this money to roll back the price of thousands of items including fresh produce, meat and chicken, frozen food, household and health and beauty products starting from January. As part of the roll back customers will be able to buy three packs from a range of fresh meat or chicken for £10, 50 leading wines at 3 bottles for £10, 100 frozen food products at £1 and 200 everyday health and beauty lines such as shampoo and deodorant also at a £1.

Compared to recent months, discretionary income has improved as the value added tax (VAT) cut and effect of falling commodity prices helped reduce the cost of living in December to £413 per week. However, with the United Kingdom economy now officially in recession and with the prospect of further a weakening of the jobs market household incomes are likely to come under further pressure throughout 2009.

An increase in weekly family earnings after tax of £20 per week in December 2008 compared to a year earlier was not enough to offset the £24 rise in total spending on essentials.

THEY’VE tried our cookies and now Japanese shoppers are enjoying a glass or two of ASDA’s wines.For the first time, four of ASDA’s Extra Special wines are being sold outside the UK – six thousand miles away on the shelves of Seiyu stores across Japan.

The three reds and one white follow Extra Special cookies into Seiyu, a subsidiary of ASDA’s parent company Wal-Mart. Almost 400 stores will be selling the Chenin, Pinotage, Claret and Medoc.ASDA’s Master of Wine, Philippa Carr, said:

“While shoppers in the UK will already be familiar with the great quality and fantastic value Extra Special range, we’re delighted they’re reaching a new market.”Seiyu’s Takae Namba added:
“UK products are very well received in Japan and the ASDA Extra Special cookies we imported were extremely successful. “Japanese customers like quality wines and these four are great quality for a very good price. We expect a positive response.”