Wm. Morrison Supermarkets, Ltd.

BRADFORD, U.K. -- The U.K.'s no. 4 grocer, William Morrison Supermarkets Plc, based here, has removed finance director Martin Ackroyd and named joint managing director Bob Stott its first c.e.o., in the wake of costs connected to the $6.24 billion acquisition of Safeway Plc, which turned out to be higher than management projections.

WARWICKSHIRE, United Kingdom - Discount retailer Aldi is planning to open 200 more stores in the United Kingdom over the next seven years as part of a $946 million expansion drive, according to published reports.

Smart operators such as Supervalu are heeding the call from trade groups to protect the supermarket's core grocery business.

LONDON - British supermarket giant Tesco today announced that its first-quarter sales increased 12 percent as the company reduced prices and added new nonfood items, Bloomberg reported.

LONDON - British grocer William Morrison Plc said on Monday it would rebrand smaller Safeway supermarkets as Safeway Compact, Reuters reports.

LONDON - William Morrison Supermarkets PLC has offered 3 billion pounds ($5.22 billion) for Safeway PLC, Britain's fourth-largest grocery chain, The Associated Press reports.

LONDON - Wal-Mart-owned ASDA allegedly has offered Safeway UK close to 2 billion British pounds ($3.487 billion) for 70 of its stores in light of an anticipated takeover bid by William Morrison, according to a report in The Times of London.

LONDON -- The U.K. government announced today that the country's three largest supermarket chains had agreed not to bid for Safeway, allowing their smaller rival, William Morrison, to make a new offer later in the month, Reuters reports. Morrison has 21 days to bid again for Safeway.