Walmart-owned UK retailer Asda has announced that it is set to complete the conversion programme of Netto stores, nearly 18 months after first announcing the purchase of the chain from Dansk Supermarked A/S.
The group acquired 194 Netto stores in the UK in May last year, although the UK Office of Fair Trading only ratified the move on condition that the group offloaded a portion of the Netto portfolio, amounting to 47 stores.
Now, the Netto refurbishment programme, which the retailer said saw, at its peak, Asda close, refurbish and reopen up to eight stores each week, will finish with theopening of the last store in Southampton (southern England) on Monday 21 November.
On average each store closed for two weeks while the major refit took place, a programme that involved the coordination of hundreds of internal and external building, distribution, training and supply colleagues and contractors, Asda noted.
'The Netto programme has been delivered on time, on budget and has delivered to both Asda’s top and bottom-line from day one,' the group said.
Nettos converted to become Asda Supermarkets have attracted more than 500,000 new customers since the first stores opened in Wakefield and Worksop in May this year.
The transformation of the Netto stores has created 2,500 new jobs in communities across England and Wale, with over 1,800 colleagues also joining Asda from Netto.
'We knew when we set out on this journey that our goal to convert the Netto estate in such a short space of time was ambitious,' said Karen Hubbard, Asda's director of store proposition. 'It's testament to the hard work and total dedication of the colleagues working on this programme that we have delivered on time, to budget and exceeded our own high expectations withthese new stores.
'The feedback from our supermarket customers has been fantastic, as they enjoy having the opportunity to complete a weekly shop, close to home, at the same low prices they would find in one of our larger stores,' Hubbard added.
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