Morrisons will only have to sell 52 stores if it buys Safeway - as opposed to the agreed 53 - the Office of Fair Trading has ruled.

The OFT has decided that Morrisons would not have to divest a store in Towcester.

Earlier this week, trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt announced she had accepted undertakings from Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury that they would not acquire the whole of Safeway, or any part of it, if it would give rise to adverse effects identified in the Competition Commission’s report.

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