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| Asda plans to create 9,000 jobs | Asda plans to create 9,000 jobs |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| Supermarket firm Asda is to embark on large-scale expansion plans this year and will create 9,000 new jobs and open 22 stores, its chief executive says. | Supermarket firm Asda is to embark on large-scale expansion plans this year and will create 9,000 new jobs and open 22 stores, its chief executive says. |
| Asda boss Andy Bond told the BBC the company planned to create jobs on the shop floor, in the pharmaceutical sector and its home delivery service. | |
| Some 500 jobs are to be at new in-store pharmacies, while 1,500 are part of moves to extend its home delivery arm. | Some 500 jobs are to be at new in-store pharmacies, while 1,500 are part of moves to extend its home delivery arm. |
| A day earlier, Asda's parent firm Wal-Mart said annual profits rose 8.6%. | |
| The first of Asda's new stores is due to open in Andover, Hampshire, in March. Other locations targeted during 2008 include Dalgety Bay in Scotland and Bridgend in Mid-Glamorgan. | |
| Store extensions are planned in Chapeltown, Elgin, Hulme, Kirkcaldy, Boldon, Govan,Portsmouth, Donnington Wood, Hyson Green, Chatham, Luton and Gosport. | |
| Wal-Mart bosses said Asda - which has its UK headquarters in Leeds - was doing well but would give no detail beyond saying like-for-like sales rose by "mid single digits". | |
| Mr Bond dismissed the idea that the UK was heading for a recession and added that Asda's priority was to keep prices down. | Mr Bond dismissed the idea that the UK was heading for a recession and added that Asda's priority was to keep prices down. |
| The news comes after the Competition Commission released a report last week with suggestions on how to counter problems it perceived in the UK's grocery sector. | The news comes after the Competition Commission released a report last week with suggestions on how to counter problems it perceived in the UK's grocery sector. |
| These included a tougher code of practice over how supermarkets deal with suppliers, and recommendations that local governments perform a "competition test" when deciding whether to give planning permission for new large supermarkets. | These included a tougher code of practice over how supermarkets deal with suppliers, and recommendations that local governments perform a "competition test" when deciding whether to give planning permission for new large supermarkets. |