ZAANDAM, Netherlands -- Ahold here last week said that increased competitive store openings and promotional activity and the ongoing integration efforts at its Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover banners impacted sales at those chains during the second quarter.
r U.S. retail divisions, which include Giant-Carlisle, Tops, Bruno's, Bi-Lo and the Peapod online division, fell 2.1% compared with year-ago results, to $2.6 billion.
The company said sales in the U.S. retail division, excluding the impact of the sale of the Golden Gallon convenience-store business last year, were up 2%.
Identical-store sales in the U.S. were slightly negative in the second quarter after accounting for an increase due to the Easter holiday shift. Identical-store sales growth was 0.3%, and comparable-store sales growth was 0.9%, but the company said the Easter shift contributed 1% to identical-store sales in the second quarter.
Through the first half, total U.S. retail sales fell 0.5%, to $14.45 billion, compared with year-ago results. Excluding the impact of the Golden Gallon divestment, sales grew 1% in the half-year period. The identical-store sales decline was 0.8%, and comparable-store sales fell 0.2%.
