Axfood's Sales January-June 2002


STOCKHOLM, Sweden, August 1, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Axfood's:

Consolidated net sales (excluding VAT) for the month of June totalled SEK 2,728 m (2,761), a decrease of 1.2% compared with the same period a year ago.

Net sales for the period January-June 2002 totalled SEK 16,197 m (15,738), an increase of 2.9%. For stores owned by the Group, the increase was 10.4% in Sweden, of which same stores accounted for 3.4%. Of total sales, the Swedish operations accounted for SEK 13,449 m (12, 978) and Spar Finland for SEK 2,748 m (2,760).

Hemkop's sales fell by 2.4%. The decrease for same stores was 2.6%. Willys grew its sales by 24.5%, of which same stores accounted for 8.7 percentage points. Willys Hemma grew its sales by 3.6%. The decrease for same stores was 7.9%. Spar Finland's sales fell by 0.4% and in local currency a decrease by 1.5%. For comparable stores owned by the Group the decrease was 1.5%.

Sales per business operation are broken down as follows:


            Jan-June  Jan-June   
            2002      2001       Change
            SEK m.    SEK m.     %
Hemkop      3,132     3,210      -2.4
Willy's     3,963     3,184      24.5%
Willy's       512       494       3.6%
Hemma
Spar        2,748     2,760      -0.4%
Finland
Dagab       8,598     7,057      21.8%
Axfood      2,301     2,210       4.1%
Narlivs
Other(1)    1,009     1,142     -11.6%
Internal   -6,066    -4,319      40.4%
sales (2)
Total      16,197    15,738     2.9%


(1) Includes Axfood Direkt, Axfood Franchise, support companies and
    joint- Group functions.
(2) Of which Dagab SEK 5.362 m (3.790) Accumulated internal sales for
    the period January-May have been adjusted by SEK -40 m

Preliminary sales figures will be presented on the following dates:
August            5th September
September         23rd October (Quarterly report)
October           6th November
November          5th December

For further information, please contact: Lars Nilsson, Executive Vice 
President and CFO, tel. +46-8-553 998 11, +46-70-569 66 33
Bodil Eriksson, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications,
tel. +46-8-553 998 17, +46-70-629 66 34

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The following files are available for download:


www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/08/01/20020801BIT00270/wkr0001.doc
www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/08/01/20020801BIT00270/wkr0002.pdf