Supermarket giant Asda today said a £385 million expansion programme had created 1,790 more jobs than originally hoped.

The posts, which have been created nationwide during this year, mean Wal-Mart owned Asda has beaten its target of 3,900 new recruits.

Wal-Mart also reported a year-on-year increase of 16 per cent in sales at its international arm to 11.5 billion US dollars (£6.87 billion) in the third quarter.

Asda, which accounts for about half this business, had a sales rise of about 11 per cent in the period with a like-for-like increase in the high single digits, fuelled by more shoppers using its stores.

Jobs are being created at six new UK stores with three more branches - at Chesser in Edinburgh, Halifax and Sutton, near London - due to begin trading on Monday. Another store in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, is to open in December.

Many of the remaining jobs are linked to Asda's fast-growing speciality businesses of opticians, photo developing centres and chemists.

All 265 stores are expected to offer a jewellery range by the end of this year after jewellery sales success caught Asda bosses by surprise, a spokesman for the Leeds-based company said.

Asda employs 122,000 staff at 265 sites across the UK. The new employees are in addition to the 10,000 temporary workers who learned in October they would be given permanent contracts entitling them to benefits such as store discount cards.

In yesterday's third quarter figures, Asda's premium foods range - Extra Special - enabled it to take another bite into the business of its rivals with its market share up 0.5 per cent to a new level of 13.1 per cent.

Sales of Extra Special products have doubled over the past year and 100 new lines will be launched before Christmas, lifting the total to 460.

In clothing, the George label was taken out of the store and on to the High Street with two stand-alone stores trialed in Croydon and Leeds.

The "Back to School" range of school wear by George sold well.

Friday November 14, 2003