Asda to create 7,000 jobs

Through Asda's Local Employment Partnerships and Remploy, the grocer's recruitment partner for people with disabilities and health conditions, it will provide full- and part-time roles for people who have been unemployed for more than six months and find it difficult to re-enter the labour market.

The grocer will create the jobs throughout the UK with the opening of a further nine food stores, five Asda Living shops and extensions to 15 existing stores.

A further 2,000 jobs will be created through the expansion of its home shopping business Asda.com, and 1,000 will come through organic growth. It will also create 120 roles in Asda pharmacies and optical centres nationwide.

Asda president and chief executive Andy Bond said: "This year we will create 7,000 new jobs at a time when many companies are having to lay people off. Our track record of recruiting and retaining people is second to none, which is why we have the lowest turnover and most motivated workforce in British retail."

Secretary of state for work and pensions James Purnell said: "At a time when we are facing global economic challenges people need as much support as possible to help them get into jobs. Local Employment Partnership's such as Asda have been a real success. We're on target to get 250,000 long-term unemployed people back into work through the scheme and thanks to the extra money we got in the pre-Budget report last November we are also opening it up to people who have just lost their jobs."