Asda has revealed a massive uplift in local food sales in the wake of an £80,000 piece of consumer research.
Sales have risen 41% in England and Wales in the past year, it announced this week, while sales in Scotland and Northern Ireland were up 26.6%.
Asda attributed the uplift in part to changes it had made to its offer following a survey of 30,000 customers in January.
In response to consumer requests for local food that was more relevant, the retailer employed 'local ambassador' staff to ensure products were presented well and answer customer questions.
"Local is now as big as more established areas of the business," said Caroline Burgess, Asda customer planning manager for emerging markets. "We have nine hubs working in 14 regions across the UK working directly with local suppliers to guide them through the Asda accreditation process and act as a single distribution point, saving, on average, three million food miles a year."
Some local products were outselling Asda own-label equivalents, she admitted, citing beer from Cain's brewery in Merseyside, Ellis eggs in Wales and MI Dickinson's pies in the north east.
Last month, Tesco reported that sales of local food and drink were up 30% year-on-year.
"There are hundreds of examples of local produce doing brilliantly well," said Tesco legal and corporate affairs director Lucy Neville-Rolfe.
Sales have risen 41% in England and Wales in the past year, it announced this week, while sales in Scotland and Northern Ireland were up 26.6%.
Asda attributed the uplift in part to changes it had made to its offer following a survey of 30,000 customers in January.
In response to consumer requests for local food that was more relevant, the retailer employed 'local ambassador' staff to ensure products were presented well and answer customer questions.
"Local is now as big as more established areas of the business," said Caroline Burgess, Asda customer planning manager for emerging markets. "We have nine hubs working in 14 regions across the UK working directly with local suppliers to guide them through the Asda accreditation process and act as a single distribution point, saving, on average, three million food miles a year."
Some local products were outselling Asda own-label equivalents, she admitted, citing beer from Cain's brewery in Merseyside, Ellis eggs in Wales and MI Dickinson's pies in the north east.
Last month, Tesco reported that sales of local food and drink were up 30% year-on-year.
"There are hundreds of examples of local produce doing brilliantly well," said Tesco legal and corporate affairs director Lucy Neville-Rolfe.
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