Asda has announced it is rewarding 13,000 staff members with £1.6 million worth of free shares .
Employees who have worked at the supermarket giant for at least three years will each receive around £130 in shares under parent company Wal-Mart .
The payout comes after the retailer reported an impressive 7.2 per cent hike in second quarter sales, on 2008 levels, driven by recession-beating price cuts and a record number of weekly shoppers (18 million).
Asda bosses said the company has taken market share off its rivals, with latest figures from TNS Worldpanel showing the supermarket chain now holds a 17 per cent share of the UK grocery market, up from 16.6 per cent a year ago.
Finance director Judith McKenna said: “We’re attracting customers by continuing to be the lowest-priced retailer .”
Asda said it was on track with plans to recruit 7,000 workers this year, with ten new stores opening since January and a new dedicated picking centre for its online shopping business being trialled.
