Asda takes on Aldi and Lidl with ‘posh food at proper prices’

Asda is introducing a range of premium products just in time for Christmas as it looks to take on discounters Aldi and Lidl by offering “the very best posh food for pocket-money prices”.

The products include whole lobster for £5, 30-year-old whisky for £60 and a leg of Serrano ham for £39. That is cheaper than Lidl, which offers lobster for £5.99, and Aldi, where Serrano ham is £44.99, on some products.

Asda also claims it will be up to fives times cheaper than competitors nationwide, citing 30-year-old whisky from Master of Malt that costs £366.

Barry Williams, Asda’s chief merchandising officer of food says: “We’ve worked hard to source the very best posh food for pocket-money prices this Christmas. Whether it’s whole lobster, British roast beef, or a bottle of premium fizz, unlike other supermarkets, we’ve got it in all our stores, up and down the country. Luxury really doesn’t have to cost the earth.”

In total, Asda will add 70 new items to its “Extra Special” range that it claims would usually only be available at a “posh” retailer such as M&S or Waitrose and, unlike the discounters, will be available the “length and breadth of the UK”.

Aldi and Lidl have successfully lured customers from the big four supermarkets with their promise of high-quality foods at low prices. Lidl launched its Deluxe range specifically for Christmas but expanded it in 2012 after seeing sales rise by 200%.

This year it has added new lines including reindeer carpaccio, with packs of the cured meat going on sale for £4.99 on 27 November.

Asda will be showcasing the products at the “Taste of Winter” event in London this weekend. The event, which runs from 20 to 23 November, will see celebrity chefs such as Martin Morales, Alex James and Ping Coombes cooking with Asda ingredients.

Asda is also sponsoring the event as part of its strategy to grow its presence in London. The supermarket announced plans earlier this year to increase customer access to stores to 70% by 2018, from 53%, and expand its click and collect network from 250 to 1,000 locations, with a particular focus on London and the south-east, where it has a lower footprint that in its northern homeland.

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