Press Release
[Ahold Logo] Ahold
                                                        Royal Ahold
                                                        Corporate Communications




                                                Date:   January 20, 2004
                                For more information:   +31 75 659 57 20



Ahold announces additional steps in corporate restructuring

Zaandam, The Netherlands, January 20, 2004 - Ahold today announced further steps
in its strategic program to streamline the company and improve long-term
efficiency. The Ahold U.S. Retail corporate headquarters, currently located in
Chantilly, Virginia, will be closed. Ahold U.S. Retail and Corporate functions
will be aligned with those of the new business arena being created, based in the
Boston, Massachusetts area. This arena will integrate the back-office functions
of Ahold operating companies, Stop & Shop and Giant Landover. The change is
effective July 2004.

In addition, Ahold's regional support organization for European operations, the
Zaandam-based European Competence Center (ECC), will also be closed. Services
provided by the ECC will be aligned with the requirements of the Ahold corporate
headquarters and the Netherlands arena. This change is effective March 2004.

Commenting on this announcement, Ahold President and CEO Anders Moberg said,
"This is part of our stated commitment and strategy to integrate the many
different parts of our operations into a single company with a single focus on
generating value for customers. These actions are essential steps that will
enable us to simplify and streamline our organization and ultimately improve our
customer offering."


Ahold USA integration
Ahold USA oversees approximately 1,300 supermarkets operated through six retail
companies in the United States. As part of Ahold's 'Road to Recovery' strategy
announced on November 7, 2003, a new business arena is in the process of being
created to combine the administrative and managerial functions of Stop & Shop in
the Boston area and Giant Food LLC in Landover, Maryland. Ahold USA will now
also be combined into this arena. In conjunction with this decision, the current
Ahold U.S. headquarters' facility will close and selected U.S. administrative
functions will relocate to Massachusetts by July 2004. Approximately 100
associates are currently employed at the Ahold USA corporate headquarters
located in Virginia.



                                                 Albert Heijnweg 1, Zaandam
                                                 P.O. Box 3050, 1500 HB Zaandam
                                                 The Netherlands
                                                 Phone:  +31 (0)75 659 5720
                                                 Fax:    +31 (0)75 659 8302
http://www.ahold.com


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Ahold USA President and CEO Bill Grize commented, "We are confident that this
integration will speed decision-making, better align support services with the
needs of the businesses, and provide for more numerous career opportunities for
our people."


Integration of European Competence Center
The ECC supports the retail and foodservice operations of the four European
arenas: The Netherlands, Nordic countries, Central Europe and Iberia. The
integration of the ECC functions into Ahold corporate headquarters and the
Netherlands arena will lead to harmonization and effective business process
management, and improved and more efficient infrastructure and control
activities. Approximately 115 associates are currently employed at the European
Competence Center.


Ahold Corporate Communications: +31.75.659.57.20



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Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws and are intended to be covered by
the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking statements are subject
to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed in those forward-looking statements. Many
of these factors are beyond Ahold's ability to control or estimate precisely.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements, which only speak as of the date of this press release. For a more
detailed discussion of such risks and other factors, see Ahold's Annual Report
on Form 20-F for its most recent fiscal year. Ahold does not undertake any
obligation to release publicly any revision(s) to these forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press
release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances,
except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Outside The
Netherlands Koninklijke Ahold N.V., being its registered name, presents itself
under the name of "Royal Ahold" or simply "Ahold".
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