George online store to top Asda chains sales

George, the Asda-owned clothing brand, expects its online operation to become the supermarket chain’s biggest selling store by early next year. It comes after George overtook Primark to become Britain’s second biggest clothing retailer by volume earlier this week.

According to reports, Asda hopes to be the biggest clothing retailer by volume by 2011. Marks & Spencer is currently the top selling retailer in the UK.

The latest market share figures, released by research company TNS earlier this week, show that George rose by nearly 6% in the 24 weeks to the middle of September. It gives the brand a market share by volume of 9.5%. Meanwhile, budget retail chain Primark saw its market share dip from 10% to 9.3% over the same period.

At the start of October, the chain launched its non-food website Asda Direct, its rival to Tesco. It offers nearly 10,000 products, including electrical goods and homewares. It is available online and through catalogue and Asda is reported as saying sales have been “very pleasing”.