Asda is delivering an early Christmas present to thousands of its colleagues ,with the news that they will share a £16 million festive bonus to thank them for their hard work throughout 2010.

The ‘Christmas Thank You’ package – which includes a £20 Asda gift card, a free festive meal and an exclusive 20% discount on a whole host of Asda products – will be available to each of Asda’s 175,000 colleagues, as well as over 10,000 seasonal workers.

Chet Kuchinad, Executive People Director of Asda, said: “The Christmas Thank You rewards and recognises the exceptional level of service that our colleagues provide our customers throughout the year. We are really proud of the hard work and the difference that each of our colleagues make, particularly in the run up to our busiest time of year.”

The ‘Christmas Thank You’ package follows a record £47 million Sharesave payout that benefited Asda’s colleagues earlier in the year. The ‘opt in’ Sharesave scheme allows colleagues to save between £25 and £250 each month. This year’s scheme generated a 90% return on the amount they saved. Earlier this year, Asda colleagues also enjoyed an additional windfall, sharing in a record £26 million bonus pot, 18 per cent higher than last year’s payout.