Royal Ahold strengthens position in north-eastern Brazil

The Dutch food retail giant Royal Ahold has beaten off competition to buy the family-owned Brazilian supermarket chain G Barbosa. Closed on January 2, the R$389-million (approximately US$164.8-million) deal includes all of the chain's 36 supermarkets, hypermarkets and drugstores in the north-eastern states of Bahia and Sergipe. Competing bidders for the G Barbosa chain included Brazil's largest retailer, Pão de Açucar.