Walmart aims to build 25 new stores, refurbish 43 existing outlets and invest in three new logistics depots to feed its expansion in the UK.

The majority of the new stores will be smaller supermarkets but the 600,000sq ft of new space will also be made up of superstores and Asda Living non-food outlets.

New outlets are planned for Bootle in Merseyside, Coventry, Gateshead in Tyne & Wear, Harworth in Nottinghamshire, Mitcham in London, Ramsgate in Kent, Shepshed in Leicestershire, Todmorden in West Yorkshire, Worcester, and Worthing in West Sussex.

New logistics depots will also be built in Rochdale, by contractor McLaren, and Falkirk to add capacity and a former Netto depot in Yorkshire will be revamped.

Asda said it will create up to 5,000 jobs on top of the 30,000 staff it took on last year when it opened about a dozen stores and absorbed 147 Netto sites and their staff following its acquisition of the discount chain.