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Asda expands online shopping

Jane Wakefield ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 21 Oct 1999 11:42 BST

Supermarket chain Asda is expanding its Internet shopping service, offering one million households in the South-East the chance to buy online.

Unlike rivals, Asda has a dedicated depot in Croydon which supplies goods to homes within two hours. Users must spend a minimum of £50 and pay a £3.50 service charge. A few weeks ago Asda made a move into telecommunications, offering customers 20 percent off BT calls.

An Asda spokeswoman said that a "very positive" take-up of the online shopping service prompted the supermarket to expand its offering. "The surprising thing is people are using it for goods we didn't expect. Fruit and veg are the most popular items bought," she said. Consumers are also using the service to bulk buy items such as washing powder she said.