Asda blames sales slump on ‘self-inflicted’ IT problems

Asda has criticised the government for “killing confidence” among consumers but blamed “self-inflicted” problems that left gaps on shelves for a big reverse in sales.

- Sarah Butler

Total sales fell 3.8% to £5.1bninthe three months to the end of September compared with the same period a year before - after growth of 0.2% in the previous quarter. Comparable store sales fell 2.8%.

Asda said it had struggled with technology issues from a lengthy effort to separate its IT systems from those of its former owner, Walmart. Allan Leighton, the chair of Asda, returned to the company last year to try to revive it for a second time. He said the fallin sales and market share was “totally self-inflicted” and had put his plans “back six months”.