Dutch retailer Ahold and Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize have begun discussions at the highest level on a possible merger, Belgian newspapers reported on Saturday, Reuters reports. The reports in financial newspapers De Tijd and L'Echo, quoting several unnamed sources, said the talks had just started and were in a preliminary phase. Ahold spokesman Tim van der Zanden said: "We do not comment on market rumors." Delhaize spokesman Charles Davis also said the company did not comment on market rumors. Delhaize has for years been cited by analysts as a potential merger partner for Ahold and, according to L'Echo, the two companies held very advanced negotiations in 2006 and 2007. Ahold has a market capitalization of 15.5bn Euro ($17.36bn), double that of Delhaize with 7.53bn Euro.Lidl changes US management
In a surprising move, German discount giant Lidl has changed its US leadership within only leagues of colonising America, german-retail-blog.com reports. The top brass of Lidl International have just announced to staff in Virginia that senior execs Kenneth McGrath (39) and Kevin Proctor (42) are leaving the US subsidiary. Lidl states that both managers are leaving at their own request and thanks them for their achievements. The discounter also insists that none of the changes will affect the official start date in 2018. 
US: Target’s loss is Walmart’s gainWalmart expects to invest approximately C$350m to acquire and renovate 13 former Target Canada locations and one distribution centre, businesswire.com reports. The acquisition will add approximately 1.6m square feet of retail space and 1.4m square feet of distribution space. The new stores and distribution centre will generate approximately 2,400 jobs in stores, 1,000 jobs in the distribution centre and 1,500 construction jobs
UK: Aldi cuts prices Aldi has cut prices by an average 4% in the last six months, and 6% on its top-selling 100 products, as it battles to retain its discount credentials amid a bitter supermarket price war, theguardian.com reports.
UK: Scotmid’s profit rises £1m in difficult market
Turnover at Scotland’s largest independent co-operative rose from £431m to £436m, but chief executive John Brodie warned that consumer confidence in retail remains at a low, thenews.coop reports. During the period, the Scottish Retail Consortium reported a decline in like-for-like sales of 2.6% – a 10-year low. Food sales were also affected by the loss of the corporate dividend from the Co-op Group.
First new Belgian Marks & Spencer draws huge crowdThe first new Belgian store from Marks & Spencer in Brussels drew huge crowds, retaildetail.eu reports. The store opening marks the return of the British store chain to Belgium after a 14-year absence and was met with a huge line, hours before the official opening.
US: Tesco Mobile readies for sell-off to cut debt Tesco is gearing up for the sale of its mobile business as the supermarket group looks to pare back its sprawling empire and reduce a £22bn debt mountain, theguardian.com reports.
UK: Asda 5% cheaper than major rivalsAsda has slashed its prices in recent weeks and according to research by US investment bank Morgan Stanley it is now 5 per cent cheaper than Sainsbury’s and Tesco on a range of key branded goods, thisismoney.co.uk reports.
More freedom for German METRO Cash & Carry
METRO Cash & Carry will grant its 26 national subsidiaries more entrepreneurial freedom in the future and has adapted its organisational structure for this purpose, eprretailnews.com reports. While the national management will be given greater responsibility for operational functions, the headquarters is changing its management structure: in place of the currently nine-person METRO Cash & Carry Board – the so-called Extended Management Board, soon a team of ten Operating Partners will be overseeing two to three countries each, so their day-to-day activities will be focused more sharply on the respective customers and the local demand. The new organisational structure will be gradually implemented starting on 1 July 2015.US: Safeway to close nine grocery stores
Safeway officials announced Saturday that they are closing nine grocery stores in the Denver metro area including three in Aurora, denverpost.com reports. The nine stores will be closed by June 13, according to Kris Staaf, regional spokeswoman for Safeway
NZ: New World awaits new CEOSpark executive Chris Quinn has been appointed to head the North Island business of supermarket cooperative Foodstuffs, which owns the Pak 'n Save and New World brands, stuff.co.nz reports.
US: Amazon’s grocery delivery quietly expands
Amazon has quietly expanded its Amazon Fresh grocery delivery business to parts of Northern New Jersey, a check of its Amazon Fresh website found, recode.net reports. Amazon doesn’t appear to be delivering to the northernmost parts of the state though. The expansion is not a huge surprise, considering that Amazon started delivering groceries to parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan in the last eight months. 
Big C Thailand has satisfactory Q1 Big C in Thailand has reported Q1 sales for the three month period ending 31 March, with sales up 1.9% to THB 29.8bn (US$888m), retailanalysis.igd.com reports.
ICA Reports Sales Up 20% In Q1
Swedish supermarket giant ICA has reported strong growth in its first quarter of the year, esmmagazine.com reports. Sales at the grocery chain jumped 20% to SEK23.7bn - an increase of 8.7% on an underlying basis. Net profit jumped 11% for the period; operating profit was up 8.3% on an underlying basis.
Russia's Magnit says retail sales rose over 28%Russia's biggest food retailer, Magnit , said on Friday its retail sales rose by 28.73% in April in rouble terms, Reuters reports.