Economy

New trade powerhouse

The contracts are signed: The merger of the Dutch supermarket group, Ahold with his Belgian rivals Delhaize is perfect.

After the US competition authorities had approved the Deal, were representatives from Ahold and Delhaize to seal the merger, as both companies have confirmed. With the merger, a retail giant with more than 6,500 stores and more than more than 375,000 workers in Europe and the United States.

Ahold, with a turnover of around 38 billion euros, significantly greater than Delhaize and to hold 61 percent of the new group. The Dutch hope to gain through the merger of 2019 in savings in the amount of 500 million euros per year.

Market leader in the Netherlands: Ahold supermarket chain “Albert Heijn”

“Ahold, Delhaize is ready for a strong Start,” said Ahold Supervisory Board Chairman Jan Hommen. Delhaize CEO Mats Jansson called the merger “a historic”. In 2006, a then-planned merger had failed.

To strong competition

On the German market could not prevail Ahold and Delhaize. Ahold is only represented with a few shops in the mini market-chain “Albert Heijn to go” in North Rhine-Westphalia. Delhaize dared in 2003 to make the leap to Germany, but withdrew in 2009. The four German supermarkets, the Belgian chain in Cologne and Aachen, the trade group took over the Rewe.

wa/ml (dpa)