Britain's third-largest supermarket group Sainsbury has bought four stores from smaller rival Somerfield, which is owned by private equity investors, for an undisclosed price.
When Sainsbury published its full-year results in mid-May, chief financial officer Darren Shapland said the supermarket planned to spend £1.3 billion over the next two years to boost the size and number of its UK stores.
Sainsbury's stores portfolio before the latest acquisition included 455 supermarkets and 301 convenience stores.
Sainsbury separately announced it had bought a 35,000-square-foot store in Urmston, Manchester, part of a major town centre redevelopment expected to open in 2008.
