Note 24
Expected future benefit payments
Defined contribution plans
The U.S. and Dutch plans have the following expected schedule of benefit payments:
U.S. plans 1
Dutch plans
1 Total
2006
66
76
142
2007
66
80
146
2008
70
81
151
2009
74
84
158
2010
77
88
165
Years after 2010
469
443
912
Total
822
852
1,674
In the U.S., there are defined contribution plans principally in the form of savings, incentive compensation and bonus plans.
Additionally, certain union employees in the U.S. are covered by multi-employer plans, which can be defined benefit plans
on the basis of the terms of the benefits provided, but that are accounted for as defined contribution plans if sufficient
information is not available to account for these plans as defined benefit plans. These plans are generally flat salary plans.
Ahold is only one of several employers participating in each of these plans and the financial information that is provided by the
third party managers of the plans on the basis of the contractual agreements is usually insufficient to reliably measure Ahold's
proportionate share in the plan assets and liabilities on defined benefit accounting principles. The financial statements of the
multi-employer plans are drawn up on the basis of other accounting policies than those applied by Ahold. On the basis of the
financial statements of the plans in which the Company participates in the U.S., the plans have a total unfunded liability of
EUR 22,409 as of January 1, 2004 (the latest available year of reliable information). During 2004, these plans received
approximately EUR 3,254 in total contributions, of which approximately EUR 73 was for current or former employees of Ahold.
Based upon the relative amount of contributions for current active Ahold employees entitled to benefits provided by these
plans, in relation to the total amount of contributions for all active employees entitled to such benefits, the proportionate
share of the total unfunded liability of these plans relevant to Ahold would be EUR 637. Some financial statements of multi
employer plans are made available to Ahold only after the date of this annual report, in which case the unfunded liability as of
January 1, 2006 is based on the most recent financial information available. The unfunded liabilities of these plans may result
in increased future payments by the Company and the other participating employers. The Company contributed EUR 294 and
EUR 289 to multi-employer union as well as other defined contribution plans during 2005 and 2004, respectively, which are
recognized as an expense in the statements of operations.
AHOLD ANNUAL REPORT 2005 149
