International | United Kingdom

British flagIn 1999, the British company Asda was acquired by Wal-Mart and since then, it has skyrocketed to become Britain’s second largest supermarket. Asda is responsible for 40% of Wal-Mart’s international revenue. British citizens face similar problems with Asda that Americans do with Wal-Mart including frequent parking lot crime, store robbings, and decimation of small retailers. Asda and the British union, GMB, have been wrangling for over a year about unionizing Asda workers and the company was nearly crippled in June when workers went on strike and forced the company to negotiate with them.

OPERATIONS IN UNITED KINGDOM 

President and CEO of Asda: Andy Bond

Number of Associates: 164,018

Number of stores: 353

  • Asda/Wal-Mart Supercenters: 29
  • Asda Supercenters: 300
  • George: 10
  • Asda Living: 14

PUBLICATIONS

 
   
Emerging Thinking

Emerging Thinking
U.K. Competition Commission

  
  
 

Visit our united_kingdom blog, or browse the latest entries below

  • Asda Launches New Websites to Boost Recruitment
    Wal-Mart’s wholly-owned UK subsidiary, Asda, has just spent over $180,000 launching two websites recruiting employees for its stores. This video, taken from the website, discusses the benefits of working at Asda. Let’s take a look at just what those benefits are.
  • Wal-Mart Workers in the U.K. Stand Up Against Underhanded Tactics
    Whether it’s record albums or movies, Wal-Mart has massive control over the content of the media it sells. Now it seems like the practice has spread to newspapers
  • Asda Milking UK Farmers
    U.K. dairy farmers are outraged over the latest price war between Wal-Mart owned Asda and rival Tesco.  Last week, the grocers announced price cuts on milk, which farmers argue will devastate their industry.  For farmers coping with escalating production costs, the price cuts arrive at a most inopportune moment.
  • Consumers Outraged Over Real Fur at Asda Stores
    Wal-Mart-owned Asda has added its latest entry into the company’s history of bizarre stories.  The grocer was recently forced by outraged consumers to recall pet toys made with real animal fur at 275 of its stores.
  • MIXED FEELINGS OVER ASDA PLAN IN SOUTH WEST WALES, UK
    Shoppers have expressed mixed reaction to plans to build an Asda store at Parc Trostre Retail Park.The supermarket giant, which is owned by Walmart, is seeking planning consent to build an Asda Living store which specialises in fashion and homeware at the former Carpet Right unit. The company has reassured shoppers that it has no plans to pull its store out of Llanelli town centre.