Zaandam, The Netherlands, December 17, 2003 - Ahold today confirmed that the exclusivity period for negotiations with Chilean retailer Cencosud S.A. for the sale of Ahold's controlling stake in the Argentine supermarket chain Disco S.A. has lapsed. Both parties could not reach final agreement within this period.
Discussions on the sale of Disco are continuing with interested parties but cannot be commented on in detail at this stage.
The intended divestment of Disco S.A. is part of Ahold's strategic plan to restructure its portfolio, to divest underperforming assets, and to concentrate on its mature and most stable markets. As of June 30, 2003, Disco S.A. operated 237 stores in Argentina.
