Asda: New CEO calls on managers to spend more time on shopfloors and ‘get more products on shelves’
The newly appointed CEO of Asda has called on the company’s store managers to spend more time on the shopfloor and “get more product on shelves”, as he spoke at the supermarket chain’s Pudsey store.
Speaking on his first day as CEO of the company, Adam Potts gave a call to action to Asda’s 1,100 store managers, telling them he believed the company was “making it harder than it should be” for customers to get what they want in stores.
He said: “More than anything Asda shoppers want great value which is why the business has invested to get back on the pitch when it comes to low prices.
“But visiting stores as a customer over the last few weeks has shown me we aren’t as focused on the rest of the shopping trip as we need to be.
“We’re making it harder than it should be for customers to get what they want, move around the store and pay for their shopping.
“We need to change that, starting now, which is why I’ve instructed all our general store managers to open more full-service checkouts, spend more time on the shopfloor and get more product on shelves and well-presented throughout the day.”
Mr Potts was appointed to the Asda top job last Tuesday with immediate effect, with former boss Allan Leighton becoming non-executive chairman, two years after he returned to head the firm.
Mr Potts previously led Morrisons for eight years until 2023 and spearheaded a turnaround at the group, during which time it was bought out by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.
He was also chief executive of Tesco’s Irish business, its UK arm and its Asian operation before joining Morrisons.
Mr Potts added: “The shopping trip is everything and by making Asda easier to shop so customers can find what they came for and get through the checkouts easily, they’ll come back and shop more with us.
“I’ll be out in stores again this week and over the weekend listening to customers to see how we’re doing, and making sure our colleagues have what they need to deliver the improvements our customers expect.”
Asda said Mr Leighton’s move to step aside from the day-to-day running of the group was planned, after he returned in 2024 to take the helm more than two decades after serving as chief executive.
He joined as Asda – bought by private equity firm TDR Capital and the billionaire Issa brothers in 2020 – battled to turn around sliding sales and a shrinking market share.
Mr Leighton said in a statement: Mr Leighton said: “Over the last two years, we have stabilised the business and returned it to some growth and begun to establish Asda as ‘more than a supermarket’ through our Formula for Growth strategy.
“David has an outstanding record in our industry, his experience is exactly what we now require.”