ASDA launches aggressive Christmas price campaign

ASDA has announced the first wave of its aggressive Christmas price cutting campaign - bringing further relief to millions of beleaguered shoppers who are struggling to makes ends meet in the run up to Christmas.

The announcement by ASDA is part of the supermarket's commitment to make Christmas even more affordable for its customers. Thousands of new rollbacks will hit stores from today, adding to more than 4000 price cuts previously announced in November.

ASDA's President and CEO, Andy Bond, said: "Our core purpose is to make goods and services more affordable. In the run up to Christmas and month end, when household budgets are under greater pressure than ever, we know how important it is to save our customers money. That's why we have launched our most aggressive Christmas price campaign ever.

"We already have the UK's lowest prices across our entire store whether it's customer favourites like selection boxes and mince pies, Christmas gifts like mobile phones and digital cameras, or larger items like games consoles and laptops."

The latest round of aggressive Christmas price cuts include:

All TVs and DVD players will be VAT Free this weekend with ASDA reducing prices by the full 17.5% on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Market leading prices on a range of Christmas gifts including - a Sony Ericsson mobile phone for £8 (vs £9.99 at Argos), a Binatone X350 Sat Nav for £50 (vs £69.99 at Argos), a Kodak C913 digital camera for £57 (vs £59.99 at Argos), a Nintendo Wii console for £157 (vs £179.99 at Argos), and a 3Gb laptop for £275.

Christmas food and drink is also being reduced at ASDA. The supermarket's offers include:

50 leading wines at 3 for £10, and spirits from £5.

Pork joints are reduced to £2 per kg (a typical 1.5kg Sunday roast joint now costs £2.50).

Christmas puddings are reduced to £1 and packs of 6 mince pies are 2 for £1, equivalent to 8p each.

Dozens of frozen Christmas party foods are on offer at £1 a pack.

2 litres of Coke (all varieties) are now 3 for £3.

Cadbury's selection boxes normally £2.98 - are now 2 for £3.

In addition a range of Christmas essentials like Charmin toilet rolls have also been slashed in price - 24 rolls are now £5 reduced from £8. ASDA is also selling a great value range of kids nativity outfits in George including: Mary (£8), Joseph (£8), a King (£5), a Shepherd (£8), a Star (£5) and an Angel (£8).

The latest price cuts come on top of ASDA's announcement earlier this week that it was selling hundreds of Christmas gifts priced at 2 for £8, 6ft pre-lit Christmas trees for £25, and the Mama Mia DVD for the UK's lowest price of £7 - ASDA has already sold more than 300,000 copies of the blockbuster movie since its release on Monday.

The retailer also confirmed it will be passing on the full VAT saving from Monday on its individual prices in store ensuring customers benefit from the Chancellor's announcement to reduce VAT from 17.5% to 15%.

Andy Bond added: "Our customers trust us to pass the savings on in full and so we have decided that the best way to implement these lower prices, and not incur unnecessary costs, is to apply the new rate of 15% VAT at the checkout."

Posters, point of sale and leaflets around the store will tell customers how the reduced rate of VAT is being applied.

In order to keep costs down, and disruption to a minimum, ASDA has decided to phase in changes to shelf edge prices once the Christmas and New Year sales rush is over - this will be completed by January.