Asda’s chief Mohsin Issa announced an emergency cash injection of £30m amid an alarming drop in sales at the troubled grocery chain.
The investment package will be implemented by the end of this year. It will increase staffing hours, improve customer service and boost the level of customer satisfaction.
Asda is the only major retailer losing customers, and this news comes at a time when there are growing concerns about its declining market share.
NIQ, the data company, revealed that sales had fallen 5.9pc over the past 12 weeks compared with a year ago.
The £30m investment shows that Asda’s bosses have a problem.
A spokesperson said: “We acknowledge that there are certain areas where we need to improve. We have laid out our plan to colleagues to improve availability of products in store, the overall experience of customers, and ensure we have the correct trade plan for the remainder of the calendar year.”
Asda’s poor performance has recently been criticized by union leaders, who claim that Asda is “cutting shop hours and not investing in stores”.
Nadine Hutton, the national officer of GMB, said last week that Asda is “losing market share” and senior staff.
She said: “The GMB does not see any evidence that Asda owners have a strategy to resolve these deeply rooted issues and restore Asda to its proper place as a value grocery store catering to working families.”
Asda has denied the allegations, arguing it updates the GMB regularly on its investment plans.
It was revealed that the company had been struggling to convince its workers of their turnaround plan.
Only 47pc respondents to Asda’s recent annual survey said that they were confident about the long-term strategic plans of Asda.
Just 48pc of respondents said that they could explain the “Project Future’s” benefits.
The process of separating Asda’s IT system from its former owner Walmart has been fraught with problems in recent months.
The company’s performance has been a source of growing concern.
Kantar data shows that Asda’s market share fell from 14.8% to 12.7% since the billionaire brothers Mohsin & Zuber Issa took over Asda in 2021.
Asda’s spokesman confirmed that the company will also invest in its stores. In March, the company launched a £50m upgrade program “designed to enhance the shopping experience of customers in 173 stores”.
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