Food Lion 2003 Annual Report Download - page 58

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Delhaize Group - Annual Report 2003
56
REPORT OF THE STATUTORY AUDITOR
ON THE CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2003
PRESENTED TO THE ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF
DELHAIZE BROTHERS AND CO “THE LION”
(DELHAIZE GROUP) S.A.
To the shareholders,
As required by law and the articles of association, we have the honour
to report on the conduct of the audit which you have confided to us.
We have audited the consolidated financial statements for the year
ended 31 December 2003 which have been prepared under the
responsibility of the Board of Directors and which show total assets of
EUR 9,519,102,146 and a consolidated profit for the year then ended
(Group share) of EUR 171,260,058. We have also examined the report
of the Board of Directors on the consolidated accounts.
Unqualified opinion on the consolidated accounts
Our examination was made in accordance with the standards of the
Belgian Institute of Registered Auditors. These professional stan-
dards require that our examination be organised and conducted in
such a way as to enable us to obtain reasonable assurance that the
consolidated accounts are free from material misstatement taking
account of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to con-
solidated accounts in Belgium.
In accordance with these standards, we have taken account of the
administrative and accounting organisation of the Group, as well as its
internal control systems. We have obtained all the explanations and
information necessary for our examination. We have examined the
documentation supporting the amounts presented in the consolidat-
ed accounts on a test basis. We have considered the appropriateness
of the accounting and consolidation policies and of significant
accounting estimates made by the Group, as well as the presentation
of the consolidated accounts taken as a whole. We believe that these
procedures provide a reasonable basis on which to express our opin-
ion.
In our opinion, based upon our audit, the consolidated accounts for the
year ended 31 December 2003 give a true and fair view of the Group’s
net worth, financial position and the consolidated results of its opera-
tions for the year then ended, in accordance with the legal and regu-
latory requirements applicable in Belgium and the information given
in the notes to the consolidated accounts is adequate.
Additional attestation
Our report is complemented by the following attestation, the nature of
which is not such as to modify our opinion on the consolidated finan-
cial statements:
The report of the Board of Directors includes the information required
by law, and agrees with the consolidated financial statements.
Brussels, 10 March 2004
The Statutory Auditor,
DELOITTE & TOUCHE
Reviseurs d’Entreprises SC s.f.d. SCRL
Represented by James FULTON