Retail group Ahold has announced an increase in overall consolidated net sales of 3.9 per cent to €5.8bn for the third quarter of 2008, a 7.6 per cent jump on the previous year's results at constant exchange rates.

In the Netherlands, the group's Albert Heijn operation enjoyed net sales growth of 12.2 per cent to €2bn compared with the previous year, with supermarket sales increasing by 12.6 per cent to €1.9bn.

Elsewhere in Europe, net sales at Ahold's Albert/Supernova operations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia rose 15.8 per cent on 2007 to €411m, with Identical sales increasing by 2.6 per cent.

Net sales at Ahold's Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover outlets in the US increased by 4.4 per cent to US$3.9bn during the third-quarter period, including US$14m of sales to Tops. Identical sales increased 4.6 per cent at Stop & Shop, the group said, and 0.7 per cent at Giant-Landover. Meanwhile, net sales Giant-Carlisle hit US$1.1bn, a jump of 11.8 per cent.

'In the turbulent economic environment, our continued focus on bringing value to our customers led to a solid performance,' the group said in a statement. 'We remain vigilant and will respond to any changes in consumer and competitor behaviour.'

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