Wal-Mart international sales up strongly
US chief in UK ahead of competition report
August 8 2003
Wal-Mart’s international division, which includes the UK Asda chain, saw sales of $3.5bn in July, up 15.4 per cent over the same month last year.
International sales over the six months to the start of August were $22.2bn, up 16 per cent. International growth is running ahead of US sales, with the US Wal-Mart division seeing sales increase by 9.7 per cent over the past six months, and the Sam’s Club division up 8.7 per cent.
With Wal-Mart seeing its businesses outside the US as a focus for growth, Lee Scott, chief executive of the world’s biggest retailer, visited the UK this week to open Asda’s new distribution centre in Lutterworth, Leicestershire.
The visit came ahead of the Competition Commission’s report on the potential bidders for Safeway, due to be delivered to competition minister Patricia Hewitt next week.
Asda stressed that Scott’s visit was totally unconnected to the investigation process, and said no meetings with the Government has taken place.
