The Co-operative Group is understood to be in early talks with rival supermarket groups about selling some of the Somerfield stores if its bid for the retailer is successful.
Grocers including Asda and Morrisons are examining Somerfield’s 900-strong portfolio to see if there are any they want to buy.
The number of stores that Co-op wants to sell has not been confirmed, but it is thought that all of the big four supermarkets are interested in certain stores.
The stores that Co-op doesn’t want are likely to be large out-of-town sites, because the retailer has concentrated on smaller and mid-sized stores in recent years. The exact stores could be determined by the Office of Fair Trading.
No comments yet