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IT is indicative of the ferocious competition between the major supermarkets that Asda cannot afford to rest on its laurels, even though its "saving you money every day" mantra has seen the Leeds business become one of the country's most successful companies.

Complacency is certainly not a commodity that Andy Clarke, the new chief executive, wishes to see stocked on his store's shelves. He's right. For, while many mourn the traditional high street's decline, the major supermarkets are likely to become even more dominant in the years

to come.

Asda's new "Chosen by you" brand certainly has a personal touch, given that it was compiled after 200,000 taste tests and will have annual sales of up to 9bn. Yet, while the company will not say so publicly, it is a tacit admission that its previous ranges had lost their edge quality-wise, and that Asda had diversified too much, while rivals, like Morrisons, concentrated on food products.

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Either way, Asda's new marketing drive has to be healthy for consumers if it means better products at even more competitive prices. The downside is that it will make it even more difficult for family-run stores to prosper on Yorkshire's high streets.