ASDA has appointed ex-Marks and Spencer Retail Director, Anthony Thompson, as Managing Director of George, effective Monday 17th September 2007.

As a member of ASDA’s Executive Board, he will report directly to ASDA CEO Andy Bond. He will be responsible for managing the entire George clothing business in the UK, while helping further develop the brand internationally.

Anthony Thompson has a wealth of retail and clothing experience having held senior management positions across a number of companies including Marks and Spencer, Gap Europe and Blackwell Ltd.

Today [25 September 2007] ASDA announced it was trialing a tough new approach to tackling the abuse of disabled and parent and child parking bays.

ASDA is the first UK business to trial imposition of a £60 fine on people parking in a disabled bay without displaying a blue badge. The trial also extends to those using parent and child parking spaces without being accompanied by young children.

Regular patrols by Town and City Parking attendants are taking place in sixΠASDA stores on Merseyside over the next year in an attempt to eradicate, once and for all, this perennial problem

ASDA’s 155,000 colleagues are today celebrating being named ‘Multiple Environmental Retailer of the Year’ at this year’s prestigious Retail Industry Awards staged in London last night [27th Sept 2007].

ASDA won the inaugural accolade for its common sense approach to sustainable retailing, beating off strong competition from the likes of Marks and Spencer and Morrison’s.

With interest rates going sky high and families disposable incomes at an all time low*, this year is looking set to be one of the hardest Christmas in the last decade.

With only 97 shopping days left until Christmas, ASDA today (19th September) has re-launched its Christmas Savings card, giving families a helping hand saving this Christmas.

The Christmas Savings card provides customers with a simple and secure way to save money for Christmas.

ASDA today revealed that scratch cooking seems to be back on the menu after increased sales of up to 170% on Indian cookery ingredients.

The sales surge coincides with Anjum Anand’s BBC show Indian Food Made Easy, and its accompanying book. ASDA customers have been inspired to turn up the heat in the kitchen and grind, chop and slice their way to a chicken tikka, rather than unwrap a silver foil package from the restaurant down the road.

Comparing year on year sales on many ingredients revealed that sales on over 100 Indian cookery essentials have soured. For example sales on asafoetida (a spice sometimes called Devil’s Dung) are up 170%; chana dal (yellow split pea) up 110%; garam masala (blend of ground spices common in Indian cuisine) up 150%) and curry powder (up 110%).