Safeway Named Diversity "Champion" By Major Trade Publication

Company Given Award Based on Longstanding Commitment to Diversity
PLEASANTON, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Safeway Inc. (NYSE:SWY) today announced that it was awarded the prestigious
Supermarket News Champion of Diversity Award. The honor, presented to a single
grocery company annually, recognizes companies that demonstrate a sustained and
successful commitment to attracting and retaining a diverse work force.
Specifically, Safeway was honored for its leadership in mentoring and elevating
women, employing nearly 10,000 people with disabilities, as well as its ongoing
dedication to hiring, training, mentoring and promoting a diverse workforce.

"We deeply appreciate the recognition and are proud of our achievement in this
critical part of the organization," said Executive Vice President, Chief
Strategist and Administrative Officer Larree Renda, who accepted the award on
Sunday at the Food Marketing Institute`s Midwinter Conference in Orlando,
Florida. "Diversity is a core part of who we are as a company, and firmly linked
to how we manage relationships with employees, customers and suppliers."

As part of Safeway`s commitment to diversity, the company has developed a
comprehensive annual internal review process to assess progress and establish
annual goals for continuous improvement. A group`s progress toward goal
achievement is assessed through a series of individual meetings with key
operations managers, which includes both review of pertinent data as well as the
opportunity for managers to present their significant achievements in the area
of diversity. In addition, various diversity affinity groups operate to promote
an inclusive environment. They include Safeway`s Asian Network, African American
Leadership Network, Hispanic Leadership Network, Gay and Lesbian Alliance and
Women`s Network.

Safeway is frequently recognized for its commitment to employing people with
disabilities. The company currently employs nearly 10,000 people with a broad
range of physical and developmental disabilities. Safeway also raises money for
three important partners in the effort to support people with disabilities:
Easter Seals, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Special Olympics and in
2008 raised more than $19 million to benefit these three causes.

Safeway has also been recognized for developing women for leadership roles. In
2006, Safeway received the Catalyst Award, by the Catalyst organization, the
leading research and advisory organization working with businesses to build
inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women at work. The
organization presents its annual award to only three corporations nationwide for
successfully developing and promoting women to executive and leadership
positions.

At the store level, the commitment to diversity is evident not only in the
workforce, but also with a carefully selected product mix that caters to diverse
communities. Store management and merchandisers make recommendations for
products that reflect their customer base. These recommendations are then
evaluated for inclusion into stores sets unique to the area.

ABOUT SAFEWAY www.Safeway.com

Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest food and drug
retailers in North America, based on sales. The company operates 1,738 stores in
the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $42.3 billion in
2007. The company`s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol SWY. Safeway supports a broad range of charitable and community
programs and in 2008 donated more than $248 million to important causes, such as
cancer research, education, hunger relief and programs focused on assisting
people with disabilities. Safeway is also one of the largest retail purchasers
of wind energy, using 57 million kilowatt hours of wind energy, enough to power
all 324 Safeway retail fuel stations, all stores in San Francisco, California
and Boulder, Colorado, as well as all of the company headquarters and all
corporate offices in Northern California. Safeway was the first major retailer
to join the Chicago Climate Exchange, the world`s first and North America`s only
legally binding GHG allowance trading system, and the California Climate Action
Registry, which commits the company to reduce its carbon footprint by 6 percent
from year 2000 levels.

Safeway has implemented unique energy-saving strategies throughout its
manufacturing, distribution and grocery stores by installing new
energy-efficient technologies, introducing new maintenance procedures and
implementing new sustainable design and construction practices. Additional
information about the company`s environmental programs can be found at
www.Safeway.com. Click on "About Us" and "Going Green."

Safeway Inc.
Teena Massingill, 925-467-3810

Copyright Business Wire 2009