It's the first Asda Wal-Mart Supercentre in the UK and the Stars and Stripes are surprisingly low key as Elaine Watson discovers Patchway doesn't cater for the specialist end of the market, explains Mike Powlesland, head of the toy department at the UK's first Asda Wal-Mart Supercentre in Bristol ­ "but if you want a small selection of major brands at highly competitive prices, look no further." This is the philosophy behind the store's massive and 24 hour non food offering. Big names and low prices on goods from power drills to televisions and treadmills have stolen the headlines from Patchway's impressive and more comprehensive range of food and grocery products. One couple admitted travelling 35 miles to take advantage of the huge savings on electrical goods. There are surprisingly few Wal-Mart own label offerings, with the exception of some Smart Price and Great Value lines in the home and frozen food departments and the best selling Ol'Roy range of petfood, named after the late Sam Walton's aged dog. The Asda brand is so strong, explains Richard Sheppard, operations manager for Supercentres, that a heavy dose of the Stars and Stripes on labels or point of sale material was felt unnecessary and even counterproductive. But Patchway has adopted Wal-Mart's bold black and white labelling and unusual pricing policy, with goods priced at £14.98 or £9.83 to demonstrate to customers that the store is passing on savings directly, without rounding prices up to boost profit margins. Convenience is the key to the store's new look, explains Denise Lansdown, responsible for the fresh food counters. Stocking all the fresh and ready meals at the entrance allows customers to pop in for a daily shop without trekking around the whole store to buy a snack. A cluster of express tills by the door saves even more time. Shoppers who are not rushed can have a coffee or a meal at the instore café. Providing the usual range of hot and cold food, the menu also features dishes available from the fresh food market enabling customers to sample Tex-Mex, Oriental, Indian and Italian dishes on site as well as ordering them over the counter to take home. There is a bewildering choice of dry goods at Patchway, which features a new authentic world food range and three aisles of organic produce. Uncle Sam rears his head now and again in the form of some all American classics including Hershey bars and fireside marshmallows, but apart from the occasional Wow!' positioned here and there, and the odd Taste of America' sign above cookies or barbecue steaks, Wal-Mart keeps a low profile. {{FEATURES }}

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