Research & Analysis

LONDON - British supermarket giant Sainsbury PLC said Monday it was considering making an offer of more than 3 billion pounds ($4.8 billion) for Safeway PLC, raising the prospect of a bidding war for Britain's fourth largest grocery chain.

CINCINNATI - The Kroger Co. is launching a marketing campaign to educate customers about the nutritional benefits of eating more dairy foods. Kroger will feature 3-A-Day messaging, which is part of an ongoing integrated marketing/education program by the American Dairy Association/National Dairy Council.

CINCINNATI - The Kroger Co. has announced that John Bays has been promoted to president of Dillon Stores, which operates 110 stores in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Arkansas. He succeeds Bob Colvey, who has announced his retirement after 40 years with the company.

CHICAGO - Kroger-owned chain Food 4 Less is set to open its first price-impact, warehouse-format supermarket in Chicago in the city's historic Back of the Yards neighborhood on Jan. 15.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Delhaize Group, the Belgian international food retailer, on Thursday said it will close 41 underperforming Food Lion stores and one Kash n' Karry by the end of January to protect Food Lion's future profitability and to strengthen its competitive position.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Spartan Stores Inc. on Thursday announced that it has completed the sale of seven Michigan shopping centers for $46.0 million in cash as part of its ongoing strategy of concentrating resources on its core grocery retail and distribution operations.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - UCCnet has announced that Acosta Sales and Marketing will begin implementing the organization's item registration and data synchronization services.

AMSTERDAM - Dutch retail giant Royal Ahold NV Wednesday said the chief executive of its U.S. supermarket chain Bruno's has resigned amid its latest restructuring, Dow Jones news wires reports.