The UK unit of Wal-Mart has said that the new format stores, Asda Essentials, which will be rolled out across the country throughout the year, will not carry a number of well-known brands as stores will primarily be stocked with own brand goods.
The final decision is yet to be made about which brands make the cut. Asda spokesperson Ed Watson told just-food: “We will be consulting with customers to see which brands are ‘essential’ to them. The key thing about Asda Essentials is that 95% of the products carried will be our own brand, so there will be some big brands that don’t make it onto the shelves.”
The struggling supermarket chain hopes that Asda Essentials will appeal to a niche market of budget shoppers, competing with the likes of Lidl and Aldi.
The first Asda Essentials outlet will open later this month.
