Ahold-Delhaize merger talks on ice

Dutch food giant Ahold is reported to have suspended merger talks with its Belgian counterpart Delhaize.

The news comes from 'unnamed sources' who are 'familiar with the situation' in the Netherlands and Belgium.

The Dutch financial newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad said that negotiations between the two companies had become more difficult in recent weeks, but added that talks would resume.

It quoted advisers to both sides as saying that they wanted to 'make haste' with merger talks, but that supervisory boards wanted to take time to study all of the relevant documents.

The news comes shortly after heated speculation in the US that Ahold was soon to sell its US Foodservice division in order to facilitate a possible merger with Delhaize.