Inverness is set to lose its crown as the UK's biggest 'Tesco Town' to Milton Keynes after Asda revealed plans to build a 70,000sq ft store in the Scottish town.

Asda has signed a conditional contract to acquire a site in the southern part of Inverness, which, with a net selling space of 45,000 sq ft, would cause Tesco's market share there to slip from 51% to 45%, with Asda immediately taking 21% market share, according to location analysts CACI.

According to the figures compiled for The Grocer, which first gave the accolade to Inverness last year, this would make Milton Keynes the biggest 'Tesco Town', with Britain's top supermarket having a 49.7% hold on its grocery spend. Twickenham, Slough and Hemel Hempstead would rise up the ranks with Inverness retreating to the fifth spot.

Inverness has long been at the top of Asda's new store wish list. It plans to capitalise on the groundswell of opposition to the growth of Tesco in the area.

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