Ahold

AMSTERDAM — Ahold reported sales of $10.4 billion for fourth quarter 2012 and $43.6 billion for the entire fiscal year, the company said in an earnings report.

That marked a 7.5% sales increase compared with fourth quarter 2011 and an 8.5% increase compared with fiscal year 2011, respectively.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold banner Giant Food Stores is opening a cheese and specialty food store in central Pennsylvania, the supermarket chain said.

Giant — also known as Giant-Carlisle to distinguish it from fellow Ahold chain Giant Foods of Landover, Md. — said it had a deal with Philadelphia-based Di Bruno Bros. to open the store inside the Giant Super Food Store in Camp Hill, Pa. The new store-within-a-store will open on Jan. 24.

Amid an unusually strong flu season that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called an epidemic, supplies of flu vaccines are running low, and some people hoping to get immunized are having trouble finding them.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Stop & Shop is offering free produce for a year to winners of a healthy eating contest it is sponsoring, the Ahold banner said.

Through the end of this month, customers who purchase any 10 products designated as "Healthy Ideas" at one time using their Stop & Shop card will be automatically entered into the chain's Healthy New Year Free Produce for a Year sweepstakes.

LANDOVER, Md. — Ahold banner Giant Food of Landover, Md., donated $37,305 to the Capital Breast Care Center.

The donation, presented by Giant-Landover public and community relations manager Jamie Miller (center) to Capital Breast Care Center executive director Wanda Lucas (front row, second from right) comes from money collected by the chain during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

WASHINGTON — Several retailers got top scores from a gay-rights organization for their efforts to prevent discrimination against and to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

The Human Rights Campaign released its 2013 Corporate Equality Index, which gives companies ratings of up to 100% based on their policies regarding LGBT employees and also released a buyer's guide for LGBT consumers.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Giant-Carlisle has opened its 100th gas station, the supermarket chain said.

Giant-Carlisle, officially known as Giant Food Stores and owned by Ahold, said the gas station opened at a store in Souderton, Pa. The chain offers a loyalty program, Gas Extra Rewards, that provides discounts on gas when people shop at the supermarket's front end and pharmacy.

PHILADELPHIA — Commuters in Philadelphia who have forgotten to go holiday shopping may want to head to their nearest bus stop.

The shelter of the bus stop across the street from 30th Street Station includes a display from Target that allows passengers to buy gift items by scanning QR codes with their mobile phones.