Asda to roll out "intelligent click and collect pods"

Asda has announced plans for a new click and collect service in a bid to expand its presence in the south of the England.

The UK's second biggest supermarket will be rolling "intelligent click and collect pods", temperature-controlled units where customers can collect fresh food and other goods at their convenience.

The standalone points will be trialled from the beginning of next year at sites concentrated in the South.

The automated pod technology was pioneered by Dutch entrepreneurs and will allow customers to pick up their items in less than a minute, say Asda.

Andy Clarke, chief executive, said: “Our existing grocery Home Shopping offer is already growing at more than 20pc year-on-year and this exciting new click and collect technology will allow us to bring Asda value to even more customers – particularly in London and the South East.

"Ultimately, we want to give more people access to the price, quality and style that we are famous for."

The service is part of a bid from the supermarket, which is owned by Walmart, to expand its presence around the capital. Last year, Asda trialled Click and Collect services in six London Underground stations, targeting commuters.

Asda was the only one of the "big four" supermarkets to have reported a rise in like-for-like sales in the last quarter, and expects its ecommerce business to grow from 10pc to 30pc in five years.

The company also has plans to revamp its existing stores and will open three Asda Home Shopping Centres.

Asda's current websites will be merged into two, Asda.com and George.com, with George becoming the brand's online lifestyle store where customers can also buy toys, garden furniture and baby equipment.

In July, Asda announced that it would be cutting 1,360 jobs as it restructured its business to focus on its online operations.

Source : Mehreen Khan - The Telegraph
www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11082327/Asda-looks-to-Click-and-Collect-to-crack-the-South-East.html