The transport inside the scrape-off layer (SOL) of a tokamak is analysed. In particular, poloidal asymmetries in electron density profiles measured in the presence of a toroidal limiter are compared with results obtained from a numerical twodimensional code (SOLXY). The relevance of poloidal and radial drifts for these asymmetries is demonstrated by a reversal of the main magnetic field. The results are important for the validation of the theoretical model SOLXY.