Giant Food owner Ahold says U.S. sales weak in third quarter

Royal Ahold NV, the Dutch operator of the Landover-based Giant Food supermarket chain, says third-quarter earnings fell sharply due to higher tax costs, The Washington Post reported.

In the U.S., the company's biggest market, Ahold's like-for-like sales fell 1.5 percent to $5.9 billion and margins declined, but the company said it won market share.