John von Spreckelsen will take on sole responsibility for leading the troubled supermarket chain, the UK's fifth largest. The changes come days after the store's finance director Martin Gatto resigned and have left the new broom promising to provide greater clarity in future leadership.

Von Spreckelsen, who joined Somerfield as executive chairman from Budgens in April 2000, said yesterday that early results from the new-concept stores being introduced to replace Kwik Save are encouraging.

He also said that Somerfield will continue its store refit programme and planned supply chain and IT operational improvements.

Operating profit at Somerfield for the year to date is running at a similar level to last year and assuming market conditions do not change, the store's board of directors estimates that it will finish the full year on a par with last year.

Share values dropped by 47 per cent on October 14 when the announcement was made.

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