Asda to step up online offer with non-food push

Asda is to ramp up its online shopping service, increasing its coverage and adding more non-food.

The initiative is a signal that Asda is taking Internet shopping seriously after two years on hold. Asda director of e-commerce Katherine Paterson said: 'We've listened to our customers to understand what they want.'

In August, Asda will roll out home shopping from 32 to 53 stores, increasing coverage from 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the UK. The retailer's Web site, www.asda.com, has doubled the number of lines to 20,000.

Asda's push comes as Sainsbury's closes its picking depot at Park Royal, west London. More than 300 jobs are at risk, but Sainsbury's plans to redeploy many staff.