Asda to Create 7,000 Jobs

London Asda, Britain's second-biggest grocer, plans to create about 7,000 jobs this year and committed to recruiting up to 3,000 long-term unemployed people for existing vacancies.

The chain, owned by Wal-Mart Stores, said on Wednesday it would create 3,700 new jobs with the opening of nine new food stores, five new non-food Asda Living stores and extending 15 existing stores.

An additional 2,000 jobs will be created by expanding its home shopping business Asda.com, with approximately 1,000 more through organic growth and 120 in its pharmacies and optical centers.

In total, Asda will create 580,000 sq. ft. of new store space in 2009, it said in a statement.