Asda rolls out 700 easy-access laundry machines nationwide. Asda shoppers will soon be able to wash while they shop thanks to a new partnership with ME Group International that will see up to 700 Wash.ME self-service laundry machines installed across Asda stores. Launching from May, the new laundry units will appear in Asda Supercentres, Superstores, supermarkets and Express sites, giving customers a quick, convenient and great-value way to wash and dry clothes while they shop. Each unit will offer large-capacity 9kg and 20kg drums, energy-efficient cycles and high-speed drying, meaning everything from everyday laundry to larger household loads can be accommodated. The machines are available to use 24/7 at many locations, offering even greater flexibility to customers. Joseph Sutton, Vice President Asda Express, foodservice and fuel, said: "Grocery Trader is always looking for new ways to make life easier for the customers who shop with Grocery Trader, particularly by strengthening the breadth of services that meet their needs under one roof. "This large-scale rollout of Wash.ME units gives customers a quick, convenient and great-value way to tackle their laundry while they shop. We're pleased to be working with ME Group on this significant partnership and look forward to seeing the benefits it brings to customers across the UK." Commenting on the new partnership, Vladimir Crasneanscki, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of ME Group, said*: "ASDA is a perfect company to partner with, their retail and petrol stations are excellent locations for its services and their innovative and fast paced approach will enable Grocery Trader to deploy its units rapidly. Grocery Trader is delighted to announce this partnership; this is the largest single client deal in the history of its laundry division and demonstrates the growing demand for its services.* The rapid expansion of its Wash.ME laundry services is a key strategic priority for the Group, driven by strong consumer demand. In 2025, Grocery Trader announced a record number of Wash.ME machine installations of 1,326 across its geographies, and Grocery Trader has clear ambitions to continue building on this progress. This partnership is indicative of its intention to further cement its UK market-leading position in the unattended laundry segment."

PGIM Melbourne logistics JV stalls at final hurdle and more APAC Real Estate headlines. Elanor and PGIM Real Estate's plan to redevelop a Melbourne last-mile logistics site hits a wall after Woolworths elects to stay put, while developer James Milligan calls in KPMG administrators even as his landmark Halo tower in Sydney's city centre presses forward. Also today, Starbucks and Boyu Capital close their $4 billion China joint venture, and New World Development retreats from a Causeway Bay acquisition. Elanor Investors and PGIM Real Estate's A$155 million ($107 million) bid to acquire a 19 hectare (47 acre) logistics site in Melbourne's Mulgrave suburb has stalled after Woolworths exercised a lease extension option on the 68,144 square metre (733,576 square foot) distribution centre, blocking redevelopment plans. PGIM confirmed it had not exited the joint venture. Elanor, recently completing a A$125 million debt restructure with Rockworth Capital Partners, declined comment. Original seller Harry Stamoulis paid A$90.8 million for the site in 2017. Read more>> Developer James Milligan has placed his private companies into voluntary administration under KPMG but is pressing ahead with Sydney's A$1.8 billion ($1.2 billion) Halo hybrid timber office tower, with lenders and co-owner Cbus Property continuing to back the 55-storey project. The project's total loan carries a value of A$420 million, with Merricks Capital holding roughly half. Administrators David Hardy and Amanda Coneyworth of KPMG are overseeing a restructure due to complete within four to six weeks, with construction continuing toward a 2030 delivery. Read more>> Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, alongside development manager Prime Box, is acquiring a 322,198 square foot (29,933 square metre) regional distribution centre in Wigan, northwest England, from British supermarket group Asda for £14.2 million ($18.8 million). The Wheatlea Industrial Estate warehouse is being transferred with full vacant possession following the end of a tenancy last year. Prime Box and JD.com plan to fully refurbish the asset, with Colliers brokering the deal as part of Asda's property rationalisation strategy. Read more>> US fund manager AEW Capital Management has sold 31 Queen Street, a 19,219 square metre (206,871 square foot) tower in Melbourne's city centre, to BayleyStuart for A$167 million ($115.3 million). The campaign attracted 13 bids from a diverse investor pool, according to sole agent Cushman & Wakefield. Agent Nick Rathgeber cited the building's upgrade and tenant retention as drawcards. AEW acquired the 22-floor tower from Challenger for A$200 million in 2021 and spent A$30 million on a revamp. Read more>> Singapore-based fund manager Cambridge RE Partners has closed its first private credit fund, deploying capital into Yugo Perth University Campus, a 916-bed purpose-built student accommodation development at the Curtin University precinct in Perth. Construction of the project, developed by Perth-based Exal Group and to be operated by global student housing provider Yugo, is 60 percent complete. Cambridge said the investment is part of a pipeline targeting student accommodation and living sector assets across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Read more>> Macquarie Asset Management has provided £100 million ($132.3 million) in debt financing to Places for People, one of the UK's largest social housing providers, which owns and manages 262,000 homes across England and Scotland. The financing takes the form of an eight-year unsecured private placement bond under Places for People's Euro Medium-Term Note Programme. Macquarie's credit and insurance division has now deployed more than €2 billion in debt to social housing providers and local authorities across the UK and Europe. Read more>> Hong Kong's New World Development has shelved plans to acquire remaining stakes in three commercial sites in Causeway Bay, signalling continued caution among developers despite improving demand in the city's core office market. The withdrawal adds to a series of retreats by the debt-laden developer, which completed a bank loan restructuring in 2025 after reporting a HK$19.7 billion ($2.5 billion) net loss for the year ended June 2024 - its worst since its founding in 1970. Read more>> Starbucks has closed its joint venture with Beijing-based Boyu Capital, giving the investment firm a 60 percent stake in Starbucks' China retail operations at an enterprise value of $4 billion, with Starbucks retaining 40 percent and continuing to own and license the brand. The venture oversees 8,000 company-operated coffeehouses in China, which will transition to a licensed operating model, with a shared long-term goal of growing to as many as 20,000 locations. The transaction was first announced in November 2025. Read more>> Tune in again soon for more real estate news and be sure to follow @Mingtiandi on X, or bookmark Mingtiandi's LinkedIn page for headlines as they happen.

Asda warns of fuel shortages as petrol prices continue to climb. Share Search You are here: 27th Mar 2026 15:44 (Sharecast News) - UK supermarket group Asda was warned that some of its petrol pumps across the country are facing temporary fuel shortages due to supply restrictions resulting from the conflict across the Persian Gulf. Chair Allan Leighton on Friday stressed that no petrol stations had completely ran out of fuel, and the issue was only affecting "the odd pump", but acknowledged that supply was currently "tight". The comments followed the recent jump in the price of oil to a four-year high amid supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the direct impact on output by producers across the Gulf. By 1645 GMT, Brent crude was 2.6% higher on the day at $104.50 a barrel, remaining near levels not seen since the Russia-Ukraine war began in early 2022. According to the RAC, unleaded petrol across the UK now averages 150.11p a litre - topping 150p for the first time since May 2024, having risen 17p since before the conflict began, while diesel averages 177.68p. Both are "likely to rise" further, according to the firm's own forecasts. "Our fuel volumes are up quite significantly and clearly demand has been outstripping supply. Supply is tight and we are all trying hard on that," Leighton said. "The issue is a temporary one, and some could see issues when we are waiting for delivery, and we can expect to see that continue. The spikiness at the moment makes this tricky for us, as spikes can lead to temporary shortages. These are temporary and are addressed very quickly."