Asda is introducing old-style butchery departments into five of its stores as a pilot scheme after customers called for the return of the fresh meats counter.

Comments posted in-store bemoaned the lack of cuts of meat from qualified butchers, and if the trial is

a success, Asda will roll out similar counters in 70 stores around the country over the next 18 months.

Stores at Milton Keynes, Longwell Green (Bristol), Hamilton (nr. Glasgow), Swindon, Haydon and Livingston (Edinburgh) will be the first to open a butchery counter. They will offer English, Welsh and Scottish meat, but local produce will also feature in each store.

To enthuse shoppers, a different promotion will be offered each week, starting with half price sirloin steak.

The trial will follow Asda's 13 stores in Northern Ireland, all of which have

in-store butchers and have seen a 20% rise in meat sales since the start of the year.


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