Asda is shopping for mums' board

ASDA is recruiting mums for a board of customers to make it more family-focused.

The US-owned supermarket will launch its strategy this week with a £7m TV advertising campaign fronted by Sharon Osbourne. The adverts will suggest that Asda can help mothers to keep their families healthy.

Asda is seeking eight mothers who will advise the chain every week and meet the executive board every quarter.

The company has about 1,000 candidates for the unpaid positions. Successful recruits will be given shopping discounts. Trade and marketing director Angela Spindler said: 'People are always keen to give feedback on their shopping. This way we will get continuity of information.

'Families with young children are the people with most priorities to juggle. This is about getting it right for them.'

Seven million of the 24m households in the UK have children under 16 living at home. The family households spend an average of £5,200 at supermarkets over the year, 25% more than other households.

Five years ago, Safeway targeted young mothers, but its family-friendly initiatives, such as in-store creches, flopped and alienated other customers.