Cutting the cost of groceries.

ASDA plans to launch a range of recipes for feeding a family of four for pounds 4 as it steps up the battle to lure in shoppers with affordable food and clothing.

The UK's second biggest supermarket chain said better-thanexpected sales and profits in the first quarter were down to better quality and value.

Asda, which said it had seen an upturn in sales of herbs, spices and baking products, said the trend towards cooking from scratch and consumers' desire to make cheap family meals had prompted it to launch a range of recipes.

The meal ideas will include dishes like turkey stir-fry and salmon pie to feed a family of four for pounds 1 a head and will be released later this month.

Sainsbury's earlier said its Jamie Oliver-led Feed Your Family For A Fiver campaign had been well received by shoppers, while sales of its basics range had soared - up more than 60 per cent year on year in the final quarter.

Asda saw like-for-like sales grow 8.4 per cent in the first quarter, when petrol, the effects of a late Easter and the impact of a leap year in 2008 were excluded.

The supermarket said it had won customers from all its competitors and attributed its gains partly to its use of customer feedback to steer products..