Asda charters cargo ship to prevent Christmas shortages
Supermarket giant Asda said it has chartered its own cargo ship to ensure shelves are fully stocked with key festive products this year.
The ship, carrying 350 containers of items from east Asia, is Asda’s first ever private charter.
Asda said it was “successfully navigating the industry-wide supply chain challenges” and taking steps “to help ensure its shelves are stocked with everything shoppers need for Christmas”.
It said the move would prevent a shortage of toys, clothing and gifts during the busy Christmas period.
Asda blamed supply chain problems that have hit other retailers and made it harder to source goods from abroad.
It comes as Asda reported that like-for-like sales fell by 0.7% in the three months to 30 September compared with the same period last year.
The retailer also said it had hired 15,000 temporary workers to serve customers during the busy period.
