Mercadona is in talks to sell about 30 stores to MDSR UK: Supermarket group Asda says 5,000 jobs at risk in restructuring British supermarket group Asda said it has started a consultation with 5,000 workers potentially impacted by operational changes to simplify the business. Asda, now owned by the Issa brothers and private equity group TDR Capital, currently employs 145,000 people. France: Casino to boost cash, cut more debt after 2020 core profit rise French retailer Casino vowed to boost its profitability and cash flow further this year and push on with its asset disposal plan to reduce debts after reporting a 25% rise in 2020 operating profit partly helped by cost savings. Casino achieved a 2020 group operating profit of 1.426bln euros ($1.74bln), up 25.2% at constant exchange rates, helped by cost savings and higher sales in top markets France and Brazil. Total sales rose to 31.9bln euros, up 8% on a same-store basis.