BENTONVILLE, Ark., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Lee Scott, president and CEO of Wal-Mart, called for the British government to look into supermarket giant Tesco's hold on the food market.
Wal-Mart owns Asda, Britain's second largest supermarket chain. Scott, in an interview with the Sunday Times of London, said Tesco's record 30.5 percent share of the market necessitated government intervention.
"As you get over 30 percent and higher I am sure there is a point where government is compelled to intervene, particularly in the (United Kingdom), where you have the planning laws that make it difficult to compete," Scott told the Times.
Tesco has come under fire in recent months by other competitors. Wm Morrison, another supermarket chain, said Tesco was using its muscle to offer selective discounts of up to 40 percent, and luring shoppers away from a new Wm Morrison store on the Isle of Wight.
Asda is reportedly looking into smaller-venue convenience stores to attack Tesco's dominance.
