Dutch AHOLD, the world's third largest distribution company, has announced the launch, on 3 September 2002, of a purchase bid on the remaining shares of the Chilean chain of shops SANTA ISABEL (turnover EUR 771 million in 2001 with 117 large stores in Chile, Peru and Paraguay). The food retailer currently owns 69.7% of the shares of SANTA ISABEL. It will propose 190 pesos per share.