Asda enters sub-£500 fray

Asda has entered the PC market with a sub £500 computer from Merseyside-based Future Solutions. ASDA blamed PC retailers for traditionally putting their own profit margins above giving customers the best deal. The pilot scheme, in association with Memsolve, means the supermarket giant will sell fully equipped internet-ready computers at £499 including VAT. One model, a 233 Mhz ESP computer with Windows 98, will be sold in 28 stores across the South-East and 20 hypermarkets in the rest of England. Asda said that the move, which follows rival Tesco’s break into the PC arena earlier this year, would force other retailers to follow their lead on low price computers. ®