Ahold Delhaize publishes 2022 Annual Report and issues convocation for 2023 Annual General Meeting of shareholders

Zaandam, The Netherlands, March 1, 2023 – Ahold Delhaize today publishes its 2022 Annual Report, an integrated report that provides an overview of the Company’s financial and ESG performance in 2022. Reflecting the fact that Ahold Delhaize is a family of great local brands serving millions of customers every day, the theme of this annual report is 'Local matters'. Our brands understand the unique needs of their local communities and customers, and by leveraging the scale and efficiency of a global company, they can offer them best-in-class digital solutions and make sustainable and healthy food accessible to everyone. The report will be on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM), which will be held on April 12, 2023.  

Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said: “2022 was a challenging year, that has put a strain on associates and on the communities – particularly as a result of the war in Ukraine. I’m grateful and proud of the people across our brands who have provided comfort, food and work to those affected and those fleeing the violence. We also saw the impact on people’s mental well-being – which was already under pressure after two difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our brands worked hard to support associates, continuing to invest in mental health and overall well-being. 

In response to these circumstances, the brands remained laser focused on keeping grocery prices as low as possible and make healthy food options accessible to everyone by investing in high-quality own-brand products, expanding the range of price-entry products, and offer more personalized discounts through their loyalty programs. We have doubled down on our Save For Our Customers cost savings program that reached a record level of €979 million in 2022. In addition, our brands made significant donations to local communities, adding up to a total value of €218 million in cash and monetary value of food and products.  

We have made substantial progress in our Leading Together strategy and within our growth drivers of e-commerce and digitalization, health and sustainability, cultivating talent, and operational excellence. One example is the significant increase in our interim scope 3 CO2 emissions reduction target to 37% by 2030, in line with the UN goal of keeping global warming below 1.5°C. This not only demonstrates our commitment to our considerable sustainability ambitions, but also our aspiration to play a leading role in driving sustainability across the food retail sector and our value chain.  

By investing in our future and in the interests of all of our company's stakeholders, including employees and shareholders, we will continue to be able to take care of customers throughout the local communities our brands serve, even in these difficult times."

Looking forward

Looking forward to 2023, Ahold Delhaize expects challenging macro-economic conditions to continue. The company remains focused on its omnichannel customer experience to enable customers to shop whenever and wherever they want, and continue to provide affordable and healthy food options. In addition, the company will increase its Capex investments to 2.5 billion euros. This will include investments in digital and online capabilities as well as in initiatives that serve our healthy and sustainable targets. 

Ahold Delhaize’s 2022 Annual Report will be on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM), which will be held on April 12, 2023. The convocation, the agenda (including explanatory notes), and other relevant documentation for the AGM are available here. 

The 2022 Annual Report is available here.