ASDA is to pull out of this year’s Black Friday – after customers fought over
cut-price TVs in its stores last year.
The supermarket, owned by American giant Walmart, is credited with introducing
the US tradition of a one-day pre-Christmas mega sale to the UK in 2013.
But after last year’s chaos, in which shoppers were punched and knocked to the
ground, it said today it would not be taking part this year, citing “shopper
fatigue”.
It is the first major chain to officially pull out of this year’s event, which
takes place on November 27.
Asda said it would instead invest in £26m of savings for shoppers across the
season rather than on just one day.
Chief exec Andy Clarke said its customers would prefer longer-term discounts
on items such as Christmas food and drink – rather than big one-off
discounts on luxury goods.
He said: “Over the last two years we’ve developed an organised, well-executed
plan, but this year customers have told us loud and clear that they don’t
want to be held hostage to a day or two of sales.
“With an ever-changing retail landscape, now more than ever we must listen
carefully to exactly what our shoppers want and be primed and ready to act
the minute their needs change.
“When it comes to putting customers first, Asda has always led the way, which
is why we’re just as confident in our decision to step away from Black
Friday as we were in introducing it to the UK.”
In the US Black Friday is a day of discount shopping taking place on the
Friday after Thanksgiving Day.
Cops last year criticised lax security arrangements put in place to cope with
the huge crowds at Asda and other stores.
Footage from Asda in Wembley, North West London, showed security staff
struggling to contain a crowd of shoppers grappling for cut-price
televisions.
Some customers had to be separated as the sale sparked furious exchanges,
while two women were seen wrestling over a TV.
John Lewis commercial director Paula Nickolds said just weeks ago Black Friday
was unavoidable, adding: “We are part of this whether we want to be or not.”