Federal regulators have approved plans by Royal Ahold NV to sell four Martin's Food Market stores as a condition of its proposed acquisition of Giant Food Inc. of Landover, an official of another Ahold-owned chain said yesterday.

The sales are apparently a victory for the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, which fought to prevent the sales of Giant stores as part of the $2.7 billion merger. The union represents workers at Giant but not Martin's.

Mark Cosby, vice president of advertising for Ahold subsidiary Giant Food Stores Inc. of Carlisle, Pa., said the Federal Trade Commission had approved sales of two Martin's supermarkets in Frederick as well as stores in Bel Air and Westminster.

Buddy Mays, president of the union local representing Giant Food workers, said he had been told a Giant Foods store in Eldersburg, where Martin's also has a store, would be sold to Safeway Inc. "Four out of five is a victory for us," Mays said.

The FTC is requiring Ahold to sell 10 grocery stores in Maryland and Pennsylvania to rival grocery chains before buying Giant, the Dutch company has said.

Pub Date: 9/17/98