SUPERMARKET Asda was today stacking its shelves with £25 million worth of cut-price designer goods pre-empting a European Court ruling due tomorrow (Tuesday) over the import of goods from non-EU countries.
Under current European Union trade laws, retailers have not normally been allowed to import goods from non-EU countries without permission from the manufacturers.
But there has been uncertainty over the issue and a full ruling is expected tomorrow in a test case between Tesco and Levi's. Tesco will flood its stores with cut-price jeans if the court backs it, but Asda decided at the weekend that it would not wait.
That means that Asda outlets opening for business this morning including the West Swindon store were selling hundreds of lines of cheaper designer goods from the so-called 'grey market'.
That includes goods from big names such as Adidas, French Connection, Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein. Many will be sold at less than half the high street price.
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